Several late breaking verbals – including a big one from last night – highlight today’s notes touching programs in the ACC, Pac-12 and SEC…

*** Amanda Ayala, a 2017 outfielder/catcher, just committed to Tennessee last night according to her Jersey Intensity coach, Kevin O’Donnell.

“Amanda’s a five-tool player,” says O’Donnell, “who combines power and speed and causes havoc on the bases. She’s a gazelle in the outfield and makes the extraordinary look ordinary.”

“Amanda has a smooth glide and makes everything look effortless.”

As a freshman, she hit .603 (41-for-68) with 30 runs scored and 14 steals for DePaul High (Wayne, N.J.).

A year ago, at the 2013 Diamond 9 Sun Classic, I interviewed Amanda along with P/OF Juliana Rodriguez (UCLA) and C/1B Kayla Gallo… the three of them were coined the “Latin Queens” of Jersey Intensity.

Here’s that interview.

*** While many of us were out shopping last Friday or “Black Friday,” the day after Thanksgiving, the DeMarini Aces program had a couple players making some important phone calls.

According to Head Coach Ryan Taylor, 2016 OF/MIF Abby Buie and 2017 P/1B Olivia Kinsey, were calling coaches at Drake and Oregon, respectively to commit.

Here’s what Coach Taylor had to say about each player:

— “Abby hit .584 last year at 16U Premier Nationals for her team.  We are excited to have her on board and add speed to our lineup.  We are working to increase her power numbers and she’s been able to put the ball out of the park this fall.  Abby fills into our outfield nicely with speed and arm strength.”

— “Olivia dominated in the circle this fall averaging over a strikeout per inning. Her rise (62-65 mph) and drop (65-67 mph), frustrated players and coaches this fall.  She has the “swing and miss” stuff schools look for.  Olivia can change the game with her bat too, she was clocked at a softball camp with 72 mph bat speed.”

*** Shortstop Chandley Garner of Lady Lightning Gold Team Miken is headed to North Carolina State.

Says her coach, John Corn, of the 2017 standout: “Chandley is our dynamic fire in our program. She brings intensity to every play and at bat.”

“She has lots of range and a cannon for an arm. Chandley is able to make the plays against the fastest players. Chandley also bring power to the plate.”

*** A nice e-mail from Dwight Hedgcock, father of 2016 lefty pitcher Caroline Hedgcock who attends Downers Grove (Il.)… he wrote yesterday:

“I wanted to let you know that my Caroline has made a verbal commitment to play for the University of Maryland.”

“Caroline plays for Gerry Quinn and the Illinois Chill.
Thank you for the nice notice you gave her while pitching at the Disney exposure event in November. Your notice was an integral part in her recruiting.”

Have to credit Coach Quinn on this one, he’s the one who grabbed me and pointed out Caroline pitching saying she was something special.

Here’s what was written in my “Sun Classic: Day 2 notes” for Nov. 2, 2014:

Speaking of good uncommitted pitchers, one to watch is Caroline Hedgcock of the Illinois Chill.

She just joined Gerry Quinn’s team in August and he’s conservative in praising his players in a good way, he won’t overhype them, but Coach Quinn speaks highly of Caroline.

The 2016 lefty had six strikeouts in four innings during the game I watched against a strong Carolina Elite team and throws a fastball, drop, change and rise with her throws being “heavy,” not easy to hit.

Her pitches have movement, too, and most of them drop so she’ll induce a lot of groundballs and strikeouts. Very good player…

*** Bill Judge does an outstanding job with promoting the players on hits Mizuno Hawks team out of Illinois.

One of those talents is his daughter, Kendal, a 2016 pitcher committed to the Univ. of Minnesota who made the Hot 100 list herself.

Bill sent a note with another one of his players heading to the next level:

“I wanted to inform you my 2016 second baseman Taylor Bowman just verbally committed to Valparaiso University, she plays for my 16U team, Mizuno Hawks-Judge, out of Illinois! We now have five D1 commits and feel we are close to getting another two or three done soon.”

*** A 2017 player whose stock is on the rise is Kynsley Rae Blasingame, who is now with Georgia Elite Premier 16U coached by David Laukka after playing with a Birmingham team previously.

She attends Horseshoe Bend High in New Site, Ala. and is a 5-foot-10 righthander with a 3.8 GPA. Kynsley is also her Sophomore Class President.

As a freshman this year she struck out 276 batters in 220 innings with only 30 walks allowed and was a 2A All-State selection. Kynsley has played varsity softball since the 7^th grade and in those three years has 484 K’s and has been Tallapoosa Co. All-Area each year.

Also impressive: she hasn’t missed a game in three years.

“K Rae” has drawn interest from Georgia Southern, North Georgia, Kennesaw State and South Carolina Upstate and has been invited to North Georgia’s prospect camp Jan. 10 and 11.

She will also be attending Georgia Southern’s prospect camp later in Jan. 2015 after pitching at Champions Elite Pitching Exposure in Marietta, Ga. on Jan. 4.

Teamwise, Georgia Elite Premier will be going to the Sun City Classic in Orlando in Jan. 2015 and the PGF Nationals in California.

Kynsley comes from a small rural town in Alabama and had little exposure prior to her jump to the Georgia Elite program.

Toolwise, she has a 63 mph fastball complemented by several other pitches.

Brett Anderson, the Manager and Assistant Coach with GA Elite Premier – Laukka, says: “I have been lucky enough to coach many extremely talented players in the past, but I’m not sure I’ve ever had one with the skills, mental ability, and positive attitude exhibited by K-Rae. She’s a natural leader both on the field and off and will make a great addition to any college program.

*** Finally, here’s a player who’s a total sleeper and will be a steal for some college who’s going to have to be patient… more on that in a second.

Hannah Skaggs is a 2016 pitcher/first baseman from Magoffin Co. High in Salyersville, Ky. who plays for the Kentucky Stealth.

She is a good all-around athlete who works her tail off and hit close to .400 with 32 RBI while pitching her team to a 12-2 record with three no-hitters, a 0.58 ERA and 150K’s in 85 innings.

A tough-nosed player with a strong work ethic, she can play somewhere but she’s out for a while after tearing an ACL in mid-November in a tournament in Atlanta. She’s already started rehab and should be back full speed by next summer.

That’s why it will take some time for her to be evaluated but to some smart, patient coach who follows her into next year, he/she will get a diamond in the rough.

*** More verbals from the last week:

— OF Rachel Abboud (2017, Syracuse)… plays for Firecrackers – Ensey
— C/IF Jaden Accardo (2017, Baylor)… plays for Louisiana Bombers
— MIF Amy Balich (2016, Ohio State)… plays for Beverly Bandits
— IF Sophie Blasius (2015, Syracuse)… plays for New Jersey Pride
— P Kayla Boseman (2018, Mississippi State)… plays for Birmingham Thunderbolts
— IF Hope Brandner (2017, Syracuse)… plays for Firecrackers NorCal – Baisdon
— C Kate Buckland (2016, Central Michigan)… plays for Detroit Compuware
— OF Lauren Burke (2017, Oregon)… plays for NW Batbusters
— MIF Courtney Dean (2017, Coastal Carolina)… plays for Team NC – Holmes
— C/1B Rachael Donald (2016, Southeast Missouri State)… plays for St. Louis Diamond Cats
— OF Analie De La Roca (2017, Arizona State)… plays for Corona Angels
— C/1B Savannah Egbert (2015, Oregon State)… plays for USA Explosion
— OF Carlin Hagmaier (2015, Yale)… plays for Central Florida Eagles
— C Kinzie Hansen (2019, Oklahoma)… plays for So Cal A’s – Mercado
— 2B/OF Madison Harris (2016, Southeast Missouri State)… plays for St. Louis Diamond Cats
— P Miranda Hearn (2017, Syracuse)… plays for Texas Aces Express
— C Taylor Hoover (2016, St. Francis)… plays for Ohio Outlaws
— C/UT Allyson Ivey (2017, Loyola)… plays for Beverly Bandits
— 1B/3B Jazmynn Jesse (2015, Stetson)… plays for USA Explosion
— MIF Sara Jubas (2017, James Madison)… plays for Beverly Bandits
— P/1B Macy Kaisk (2015, Cleveland State)… plays for Ohio Wolfpack
— SS Jordon Keeton (2016, Grand Canyon)… plays for Firecrackers AZ – Kaye
— IF Erica Krumbine (2015, Wagner College)… plays for New Jersey Cheetahs
— P Tiffani Lambert (2015, St. Peter’s)… plays for East Coast Elite
— 3B/2B Lauren Likes (2015, Weber State)… plays for USA Explosion
— UT Elizabeth Lindsey (2018, Kentucky)… plays for Birmingham Thunderbolts
— P/UT Tamara Larche (2016, Jackson State)… plays for Team Worth NOLA
— MIF Audrie LaValley (2018, Oklahoma)… plays for Oklahoma Athletics
— 3B/SS Talyn Lewis (2016, Iowa State)… plays for BATS Academy Fastpitch
— C/UT Kelsey Lowke (2017, Nicholls State)… plays for Texas Blaze
— IF Jenny Lynch (2015, Morgan State)… plays for Severna Park Hornets
— P/1B Jessica Lynch (2018, Arizona State)… plays for Firecrackers AZ – Hinkle
— OF/UT Nicole Marino (2016, UC Santa Barbara)… plays for Cal Nuggets – Woods
— OF/SS McKenna Mathis (2015, Utah Valley)… plays for USA Explosion
— SS/2B Justene Molina (2017, Boise State)… plays for Corona Angels
— P/3B Autumn Moffat (2017, BYU)… plays for USA Explosion
— MIF/OF Caroline Nageotte (2016, Furman)… plays for Carolina Comets – Hall
— OF Hannah Nelson (2015, Weber State)… plays for USA Explosion
— SS MaKenna Partain (2016, Minnesota)… plays for NW Bullets Gold
— IF Briana Paysinger (2016, Bethune Cookman)… plays for Corona Angels
— OF Anne Petrino (2016, Illinois)… plays for USA Explosion
— P/IF Sam Pochop (2017, Tulsa)… plays for Lil Rebels
— P Mykayla Pourby (2018, Syracuse)… plays for Beverly Bandits
— C/3B Riley Ries (2015, Cleveland State)… plays for Ohio Wolfpack
— P Julianna Roupas (2017, Appalachian State)… plays for Team NC Elite
— 3B Yvonne Siordia (2016, Bethune Cookman)… plays for Corona Angels
— P Danielle Sperry (2016, Sacramento State)… plays for All American Sports Academy
— OF/2B Alexis Tarrow (2015, BYU)… plays for USA Explosion
— 3B/1B Alyssa Vazquez (2016, Cal State Northridge)… plays for Corona Angels
— IF Cassie Wancheck (2017, Campbell)… plays for Carolina Cardinals
— OF Jordyn Wolfe (2017, Louisville)… plays for Beverly Bandits
— 1B/3B Logan Wood (2016, East Carolina)… plays for Carolina Cardinals