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Softball  | Softball Tournament  | 3/15/2022

Shamrock Showdown Scout Notes

Photo: Perfect Game
BURLINGTON, Iowa – The Turf, in conjunction with Perfect Game Midwest Iowa, hosted the Perfect Game Softball Shamrock Showdown March 12-13 in Burlington. Two separate one-day events with round robin play format had 8 teams broken into two pools of four teams each. As the end of the winter indoor season nears, there is a noted addition of high school teams forming up and entering, as they begin to prepare for their upcoming summer softball season.

DAY 1

Pool A was won by the ‘06 Mudd Dawgs with a record of 3-0, outscoring their opponents 26-10. The Dawgs were led by OF/RHP Ada Boysen (2024, Wapello, Iowa), who collected six hits, with four being bombs, knocking in eight runs and scoring four.  Boysen, hitting from the right side, starts with a balanced athletic stance, getting a nice weight transfer to the back side. During launch she uses every ounce of her 5-foot-4 frame to generate the bat speed she displays.  In the circle, Boysen pitched four scoreless innings, striking out eight while sitting at 54 mph, with top velocity of 57 mph.

Pool B saw the Southeast Iowa Allstars 18u Gold-Miller go 3-0, scoring 21 runs and not allowing a run on the day.  The Allstars were led at the plate by UTL/RHP Sailor Hall (2022, West Liberty, Iowa). The Kirkwood CC commit showed good mechanics at the plate and an excellent understanding of what she is trying to do with each at-bat. Hall, in a mostly upright stance, with slight knee bend, keeps her lower half fairly still with just minor weight shift onto the back leg through a front side heel lift. As heel touches back down, Hall engages her lower half and drives forward with hips, torso and hands all in synch.  The finish is high which aids Hall in consistently hitting line drives.  Hall closed out the day with six hits, that included two doubles and a home run, and she stole two bases and scored five runs. 



Hall’s teammate, RHP Maura Chalupa (2023, Muscatine, Iowa) was a force in the circle. The uncommitted Chalupa, in five innings of work, sat down 10 and did not give up an earned run. Chalupa has no wasted motion in her windup or delivery and utilizes a strong lower half to generate drive towards the plate. Chalupa throws a rise, drop, curve and change, throwing her spin pitches for strikes to either side of the plate. She does an excellent job of not allowing hitters to get a look at the ball prior to release and stays tall at release to generate a quick arm swing. Chalupa sat consistently at 58 mph with a top velo of 60 mph. With consistent, repeatable mechanics and maturity, it would appear Chalupa will continue to develop as a pitcher adding velocity and movement

MWC 15u Select’s RHP Lindaja Smith (2025, Des Moines, Iowa) displayed one of the liveliest young arms of the day, throwing the bulk of her team’s innings. Smith goes right at the hitter with good leg drive and a whippy arm motion.  Smith worked eight innings, striking out 13 batters. On the day, Smith had an average velocity of 59 mph, topping out at 61 mph. In previous events, Smith had a top velocity of 63 mph.  Assuming she will add strength as she matures over the next few years, this high school freshman will be an interesting follow.

Another young arm on display was RHP/1B Addie Morris (2025, Columbia, Mo.), who pitched four innings and struck out 10 for Select Fast Pitch 15u-Morris.  Morris, a prototypical power pitcher, utilizes a strong leg drive and loose, quick arm swing.  She throws a fastball, change, screw and what was described as a slider/curve which dives down and in, with late movement, towards the back foot of left-handed hitters.  Morris had a 57 mph average with a high of 59 mph.  Morris threw an additional five innings on day two and collected another nine punchouts. It would be anticipated that with maturity and added strength over the next few seasons, velocity will increase and only benefit Morris moving on to the next level.

Quick Hits

Shanna Buford (2024, Donnellson, Iowa) had a double, a home run, and 5 RBI.

Kylei Salyars (2023, Muscatine, Iowa) had 4 hits, a double, a home run, and 6 RBI.

Emily Rigdon (2023, Davenport, Iowa) tossed 3 innings, had 8 strikeouts, and no earned runs.
 
DAY 2

Pool A was won by Select Fast Pitch 15u-Morris, going 3-0, scoring 26 runs while only allowing 10. Select was led at the plate by Addie Clay (2024, Columbia, Mo.). Clay, hitting from the right side, utilizes a strong, stable base to work from at the plate. Clay demonstrates the ability to get the bat on plane early in the zone and extend that bat path throughout the zone. If fooled on a pitch, this allows her to stay on the pitch and not rollover on it. When she squares up a pitch, it is one of those “it just sounds different off her bat” moments that will play at the next level.  Clay put together a five-hit day that included two doubles and a home run, knocked in four, stole three bases and scored five runs.

Not to be outdone, Clay’s Select teammate Ava Bush (2026, Columbia, Mo.) can flat out rake. This left-handed hitting outfielder amassed four hits that included a double and two tanks for seven runs batted in on the day. Starting from a wide base, Bush will shift her weight onto her front leg and then slowly transfer it to her back leg, sitting into the back knee, before driving towards the pitcher. Bush is a gap-to-gap hitter with power that can also run.  This young lady, only an eighth grader, has the ability necessary to play above her age, and does so successfully with confidence.

Pool B had Iowa Elite Red go 3-0, outscoring their opponents 18-9. Iowa Elite was led by UTL/RHP Haileigh Smith (2023, North Liberty, Iowa). The right-handed hitting Smith had a triple and three bombs included in her six hits. She drove in five runs and scored seven times on the day. Smith sets up with a wide athletic base, knees bent and slightly bent over at the waist. Her load sequence is a simple push to the back side with her front foot coming off the ground and then placed back down in same spot. Smith plays the ball early in the zone, aiding her in getting the ball into the air. Don’t let her size fool you, Smith has plenty of strength packed into her small frame.

Other Day 2 performers of note included Southeast Iowa Hawks RHP Madeline Barker (2023, Floris, Iowa), who pitched a tournament-leading eight innings, striking out 12, and not allowing an earned run.  Barker has a full arsenal of pitches that she can throw for strikes, as evident by not giving up a free pass on the day. Barker had an average velocity of 57 mph with a top velo of 61 mph,

Addesyn Abel (2024, Carlisle, Iowa) is a RHP for Lights Out Fastpitch. Abel, in her eight innings of work, struck out a tournament-leading 17 batters. The lean and lanky Abel had a smooth, repeatable delivery that looked effortless. With a full assortment of pitches, Abel peppered the strike zone at will, but utilized a late breaking curve to record the majority of her strikeouts. With an average speed of 55 mph and a top velocity of 58 mph, Abel showed what a pitcher can accomplish by hitting locations with plus movement pitches.

Wicked Elite RHP Mila Johnson (2021, Wilton, Iowa) has an interesting story. After graduating high school last year and not wanting to continue playing softball, she got a job and started taking classes at a local JUCO this past fall. Missing the game and still being 18u eligible, she hooked up with her old coach and got back to work. Johnson, utilizing a drop, rise, curve and screw, struck out 17 batters in her seven innings of work. Johnson’s movement pitches show good spin and late movement, making them all viable swing-and-miss pitches. With a top velocity of 58 mph, hitting spots and changing levels are key to Johnson’s success.

Quick Hits

Lucy Pratt (2024, Monroe City, Mo.) tossed 8 innings, had 9 strikeouts, and was up to 60 mph with the fastball.

Ella Wetjen (2023, North Liberty, Iowa) tossed 6 innings, had 10 strikeouts, and was up to 58 mph with the fastball.

Kenna Law (2022, Muscatine, Iowa) had 4 hits, including 2 home runs, and 5-RBI.

Abigail Jones (2023, Muscatine, Iowa) had 5 hits, including 4 doubles.
 

-Dave Durbala
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