These are the 4 reasons: The coaches are Kelly Kretschman (Head Coach), Alisa Goler (Asst. Coach, Western Illinois), Rachel Lawson (Asst. Coach, Kentucky) and Cody Thomson (Asst. Coach, Utah Valley).
Well, I'm behind. Here's a Taylor bomb from a July 4th game just to prove she can pull the ball when she gets a pitch that isn't away from her.
After making sure the Batbusters' game against Georgia Impact was, in fact, the "final" championship game of the Sparkler tournament, I updated Taylor's stats that were missing the last game. For this tournament, in 12 games, she was 20-34 (.588) with 17 runs, 16 rbis, 5 doubles, 4 home runs and 6 walks. Her updated season stats after 35 games: 56-84 (.667) with 51 runs scored, 31 rbis, 17 doubles, 2 triples, 9 home runs and 16 walks.
Folks, Taylor is NOT a home run hitter. She is an excellent line drive gap hitter with a beautiful, short and compact, swing as if she is an Amanda or Jocey clone. The ball explodes off her bat and her line drives just leave the park. I adamantly do not want her to try to swing for the fences, such as Reagan. It would likely destroy her game. That's not who and what she is. I post her home runs because everyone likes home runs, as the saying goes, "chicks love the long ball" (and I still can't figure out if Kittie is a female.)
FYI-This was the Championship Game of the Boulder IDT Tournament (www.boulderidt.com) not the Sparkler. Batbusters Stith doesn't play in the Sparkler and also finished first at last years IDT. The IDT is an 80 team invitational tournament at the 18U level with 6 pool games leading to a single elimination tournament. Impact Caymol spun off from Georgia Impact after last season and is a very strong team ...they finished 7th at PGF Nationals last year playing as Georgia Impact Caymol. Their top two pitchers are headed to LSU and Tennessee.
If Rick has anything to say about it Taylor will be the first freshman to win the college softball player of the year award. He even has me believing it is possible. Wouldn't that be something?
So, is that levo shaming, anti levoism? Maybe in Japan, it is a social faux pas to be left-handed. What a crock! If that is it, they had some crazy coaches, or CTW had it all wrong.
You would think that after the 4th or 5th stolen base you might try something different, like play the athlete that won the award for their position but I guess these coaches either didn't evaluate their roster or simply didn't want to hurt any feelings....either way is inexcusable.
Here are Mia's stats for the FGCL: BA: .400 SLG%: 0.886 OB%: 0.500 AB: 35 H: 14 R: 12 2B: 2 3B: 0 HR:5 RBI: 11 SB: 3
