The DeMarini Invitational Showcase will stream LIVE on FloSoftball July 8-9 from Glen Ellyn, Illinois with a different twist then most tournaments. The DeMarini Invite allows teams from three different age divisions to compete in one tournament.

This tournament is a rare opportunity to potentially see how 14U No. 1 Batbusters - Campbell team competes against 18U powerhouse Beverly Bandits - Conroy. 

What To Watch For At The DeMarini Invitational Showcase

#4 Beverly Bandits - Conroy

Why: The Bandits 18U team this past year was coached by Jenn Tyrrell and organization head Bill Conroy coached the 16U team, which won the PGF 16U National Championship. This year, Conroy and Tyrrell are switching places as he has taken the reigns of the 18U team and she is now leading the talented 16U squad. Last year, the Bandits Premier 18U team took 7th at PGF and is solid and balanced across the board in every area with experienced seniors and juniors. This fall, the team has looked dominating in the tournaments it has played including its own King of the Hill event. Pitcher Alexis Holloway (Notre Dame) was named FloSoftball High School Player of the Year and is regarded as one of the top pitchers in the nation. She's throwing to one of the elite catchers in Hannah Carson, a 2018 grad headed to Michigan. Offensively, Oregon Gatorade Player of the Year OF Lauren Burke (Oregon) is one of the top hitters in the country and moves up from the title-winning 16U team. Seniors Kenna Wilkey (Northwestern) can pitch and play first while Mackenzie Dunlap (Northwestern) is a great defender at short or third base. Another player to watch who can take over a game is 2018 C/OF Shelby Grimm. All in all, Coach Conroy has a deep team with players who have, for the most part, come up through his system and have great chemistry together.
 

#7 Birmingham Thunderbolts Premier

Why: Rocky Thompson's Premier 18U team has been knocking on the door for a couple years now, finishing 3rd at PGF the last two years and being a force in just about every tournament the Bolts enter. Integrating several top players from Jay Roberson's 16U Bolts team that finished 3rd the last two years as well, the Alabama powerhouse got stronger this year with pickups like 2018 Grace Fagan (Mississippi State) and SS Kinsey Goelz (Mississippi State) to go with a strong returning core of SEC and ACC-bound players. Two exceptions to that are a pair of standout Arizona natives: 2017 C/SS Shaye Bowden (Oregon) and 2017 IF DeNae Chatman (Arizona State). Key returners to watch from closer to home include seniors like P Chardonnay Harris (Auburn), 3B Jenna Ergle (Boston College), OF Kendall Beth Sides (Alabama), SS Mary Katherine Tedder (Texas) and C/1B Abby Tissier (Auburn).
 

#14 DeMarini Aces

Why: Ryan Taylor has built the Aces into one of the top programs in the middle of the country and has expanded to the 16U and 14U divisions allowing his 18U team to draw from within more outstanding Power 5 talent. Last summer the Aces finished 9th at PGF Nationals and finished 84-20 thanks to a potent offense that averaged .310 at the plate with more than 40 home runs. Enroute to a top 10 finish at Nationals, the Aces knocked off three teams that finished in the top 10 as well. The senior class is loaded with five Hot 100 players: P/1B Olivia Kinsey (Oregon), P Madison Preston (Alabama), 1B/OF Callie Martin (Missouri), C/MIF Nicole Duncan (Arkansas) and MIF Kendyll Bailey (Missouri). Newcomers to watch include 2018 C Kasey Shell (Baylor) and 2019 OF Lou Gilbert (uncommitted).
 

#15 Jersey Intensity KOD

Why: The Intensity had Top 10 finishes at several top events over the summer including the DeMarini Invitational (3rd) and a 25th place finish at PGF Nationals. Kevin O'Donnell's team has one of the top outfields in the country with senior returners Julie Rodriguez (UCLA), who O'Donnell says is "the best hitter the organization has had," Amanda Ayala (Tennessee) and Gianna Randazzo (Boston College). They also picked up Georgia-bound pitcher Lauren Mathis adding depth to the circle. The infield is anchored by 2018 SS Kate Cressey (Stanford) and 2017 2B Brook Langston (Tennessee) while the deep pitching staff is anchored by senior Kelsey Oh (South Carolina), considered as one of the top hurlers in the country.
 

#19 Georgia Impact - Lewis

Why: Patrick Lewis's team went 58-9 last year and has a ton of talent--out of 17 players now there are 15 SEC commits and one player going to the Big Ten and another to the ACC--but the coach admits, "We were young and it showed in crucial moments." With a year of experience under their belts, Impact won the So Cal Invitiational building towards a strong summer. There's certainly no doubt the Impact team can compete with the elite teams--last year the Georgia team had wins over three Top 20 teams in the FAB 50 18U rankings. Hannah Adams (Florida) and Ashley Morgan (Tennessee) return from injuries and the players added to the roster are a Who's Who of Hot 100 players: 2019 C Julia Cottrill (Florida), 2017 P Ava Tillmann (Ole Miss), 2017 1B Kyra Lockhart (Alabama), 2018 2B/OF Kloyee Anderson (Alabama) and 2018 OF Savannah Stewart (LSU).
 

#22 Rhode Island Thunder Gold

Why: Coach Dave Lotti feels this Thunder team could be his best in the 15 years he's run the program. The perennial PGF Nationals qualifier has all four of his pitching starters back including Hot 100 2017 hurler Mary Haff (Arkansas) who was only able to play in 10 games because of injury but is healthy now. Another Hot 100 pitcher to keep an eye on is 2019 grad Vanessa Oatley (Penn State). Lotti also has a pair of outstanding 2020s in infielder Kayla Baptista (uncommitted), who started at third base for the Gold team last year as an 8th grader and batted in the 2-hole, and CF Lauren Keleher who has only had one strikeout at the plate in three years of club ball.
 

#28 Beverly Bandits - Allen

Why:Cray Allen has a team deep with talent and all 14 of his players are committed. All are also either 2017s or '18s and bring experience in playing against elite competition. Hot 100 pitcher Meghan Beaubien (Michigan), who led the Bandits 16U squad to the PGF National Championship this summer will be logging in plenty of innings against top teams at DeMarini. Beaubien throws a nasty changeup that makes hitters look silly. Behind the plate is fellow senior Taylor (T.J.) Johnson (Wisconsin) who is a dangerous power hitter. Other standouts on the Bandits include leadoff hitter and 2017 2B Katie Polaski (Loyola), 2018 P/DP Lauren Rice (Missouri), 2018 SS Maddi Banks (Washington) and 2B Rachel Lewis (Northwestern).
 
 

16U

 

#2 Beverly Bandits - JT

Why:Bandits JT has been lights out winning PGF Shootout and most recently IDT Boulder. The ball has been handed to P/1B Sydney Supple (2019, Northwestern), ranked No. 4 in the 2019 class. Supple and C/3B Hallie Hall (2018, James Madison) were key contributors at the corners at the title team and now step in as one of the top battery pairs in the country. Sydney, a left-hander, has stepped up her game to be a dominating ace as she showed at the PGF Shootout where she went 5-0 and allowed one run or less in all the games to help the Bandits take 1st place. Giving the team solid pitching depth are Sloan Gayan (2019, Kentucky) and Morgan Scivally (2019, Illinois). But as good as the pitching is, some feel this team could be one of the best hitting squads in the nation led by outstanding SS/2B Bailey Dowling (2020, Alabama) who is the No. 14 player in the 2020 Hot 100 can hit the ball out of the park to all fields. The infield is strong on defense and at the plate with 2B Gabi Carra (2019, Wisconsin, No. 68 in the Hot 100), 3B Stormy Kotzelnick (2020, Washington, No. 42 in Hot 100) and 1B/3B Maeve Nelson (2018, Northwestern). Mix in one of the best coaches in club ball, Jen Tyrell, who has already won a PGF National Championship, and you have a team that is strong at every position and is technically and mechanically sound.
 

#17 Illinois Chill Gold

Why:Gerry Quinn will field a first-year 16U team consisting of 11 players from last year's successful 14U team which will combine with three athletes in their second year at 16U. All the players will be 2019s and '20s so inexperience will be a factor, but expectations are high for the Chill squad which finished 9th at PGF Nationals. The team has great versatility, depth and chemistry with seven players verbally committed -- six to the Big Ten and one to the SEC -- including 2019 Hot 100 players C Cassie Lindmark (Kentucky) and 3B/P Angela Zedak (Northwestern. Three others are in the 2019 Next 150 in: SS/2B Fiona Girardot (Wisconsin), MIF Delaney Bowen (Purdue) and OF Maggie Finnegan (Penn State).
 

#32 Beverly Bandits - Dorsey

Why: Rona Dorsey's were named Co-Champs of IDT Boulder along with Bandits - Tyrell. Dorsey's team tied for 25th at PGF Nationals and has increased team speed and power. Loaded with top players from Ohio, the Bandits return a core of elite players including P Hope Straight (2019, Ohio State), C/UT Lexi Carver (2019, Pitt), 3B/1B Riley Zana (2020, Ohio State) and OF Taylor Heckman (2020, Ohio State). Keep an eye on UT Ashley Fite (2019, uncommitted) who has been one of the hottest players in the Bandits organization.
 

14U

 

#1 OC Batbusters - Campbell

Why: Despite losing some key players from last year's team who moved up to Mike Stith's 18U powerful team--standouts like C/IF Sharlize Palacios (Arizona verbal, 2019), P/IF Jadelyn Allchin (Washington, 2019) and SS Maya Brady (UCLA, 2019), there are six 2020 Hot 100 players coming back to make this as one elite club coach put it, "An awesome team and one of the top teams in the country." After finishing 3rd at PGF, the Batbusters 02 team won the PGF Ultimate Challenge in Salinas, California defeating two other top 15 FAB 50 14U teams and, playing 18U teams at D9 in Orlando, went 4-1. The key for this team and the advantage that could make them the national champions is franchise players at key positions. The power comes from the No. 2 player in the 2020 Hot 100, Zaida Puni (uncommitted), who has an explosive bat and could be the top long-ball threat in the age division. She hit .458 with a 1.042 slugging percentage including four home runs at PGF Nationals against elite pitching. Speaking of pitching, Morgan Smith, No. 13 in the Hot 100 and an LSU commit, is a 5-foot-10 great athlete with mid-60s speed and good off-speed pitches. SS Tiare Jennings, ranked No. 17 in the Hot 100, has committed to Oklahoma and is a three-sport athlete who is one of the top defensive infielders in the country. Other FloSoftball 2020 Hot 100 standouts include Giulia "G" Koutsoyanopulos, No. 22 in the Hot 100 and an Arizona commit, who is a standout defender at first base and hits for power; OF Emily Cazares, No. 62 in the Hot 100 and a Tennessee commit, who is a natural lefty with 2.6 speed home to first and C Camille Marin, No. 96 ranked in the Hot 100 and who is an advanced catcher with strong blocking skills and pop in her bat. Carin won a PGF 12U National Championship and could be a force in helping Mark Campbell's team win it all this year.

#3 Tampa Mustangs - TJ

The Mustangs are lighting up the summer after winning the TCS 14U Sparkler Power Pool TV bracket game. Goelz's team was 4-0 at the Thunderbolts Showcase beating No. 2 Bandits JT. The Mustangs team finished 3rd at PGF 14U Nationals last summer--the highest finishing first year 14U team--and came oh-so-close to making the championship game as it lost in extra innings in the semis to the Corona Angels. The team doesn't lose any players although three standouts, C Kaia LoPreste (Florida State commit, 2019) currently batting .450; 3B/UT Jada Smallwood (2020) and 3B/UT Ashleigh Robinson, will play in open age showcases but won't be at nationals as they aren't age eligible. Still, the returning talent and new pick-ups make the Mustangs one of the favorites to win every tourney they play in including nationals. Leading the way is the coach's daughter, Avery Goelz (2020, Florida), a 1B/CF ranked No. 2 in the 2020 Hot 100 and a Florida commit. She is perhaps the most gifted all-around hitter in the class and can do it all on the field. Joining her is OF/UT McKenzie Clark (2020), who has offers from SEC, ACC and AAC programs and is batting .390, 8 jacks, and 17 RBIs; SS/2B Kali Reis, ranked No. 87 in the 2020 Hot 100 and a Central Florida commit, 1B/OF Taylor Woodring (2020), ranked No. 177 in her class with heavy interest from ACC and Big Ten programs and 3B/C Emma Anthony (2020), who has ACC and Big Ten offers. A promising 2021 to watch will be OF/UT Kendra Falby, one of the fastest players in her class as she was All-State in track as a 7th grader and is batting .529. Falby is a leadoff lefty slapper and great table-setter and is already being heavily recruited. Pitchers Payton Kinney and Devyn Mulligan, who combined to lead the team to the PGF Nationals semis, will be the keys to the team's success and if the pitching matches the rest of the team's firepower. Keep a close eye on Kinney as she is 10-0 this summer beating top programs across the country. The Mustangs could take a national championship back to the Sunshine State.

Sign up to watch.

Get More From FloSoftball!

Sign up for the FloSoftball newsletter for instant access to: Breaking News, Live Streams, Rankings, Technique Videos and more!