PG Elite 40 Scouting Showcase

PG Elite 40 Scouting Showcase 5/12-13
Kai Lane @scoutlane11

The Perfect Game Elite 4O showcase was played on turf in the Northland of Kansas City, Missouri. Teams from around the Midwest took a trip to come to test their skills against some great competition. This weekend was full of doubles, triples, home runs, and sunshine! Competitors throughout the 14’s and 18’s divisions were tough! Every out, hit, run and win had to be earned. In the 14U bracket, the runner-ups were the Select Fastpitch 13- Forsythe, only losing to their club competitors by 1, the champions, Select Fastpitch 2010- Reliford. In the 18U bracket, the runner-ups were the Primetime 06 - Koozer, and the champions winning in an 8-0 the shutout was the Top Gun Gold KC! Congratulations to every player, and thank you for choosing to play with Perfect Game Softball!

Lindsey Kuzmic (2028, Kansas City, KS) of the Select Fastpitch 2010- Reliford, standing tall at an impressive 5'8 inches, commanded the game with her remarkable presence and stride off the mound! The dominance of her performance was clear in the 17 strikeouts she gathered throughout 14 innings across two games. Pitching in the low to mid-50s. Her determination was shown every pitch, a testament to her skill and focus. It wasn't just the strikeouts that defined her outstanding performance. Despite the pressure, she remained unyielding, allowing 8 hits and 4 walks throughout the game. At the plate, Kuzmic had 10 hits and 12 RBIs, scored 3 runs, and had 5 stolen bases!

Teagan Ford (2027, Hamilton, MO) a lefty slapper from the Diamond Club Premier 13U, is a hard batter in the lineup to get out. In her 11 plate appearances, she had 8 singles, bringing her on-base percentage to 0.727, Ford scored 6 runs and had 4 stolen bases. She has great at-bats, making solid contact with foul balls and exercises many skills, bunting on first pitches or making the pitchers work with 6-8 pitch at-bats. She operates well with her mechanics and is extremely fast!

Lejlah Smith (2026, Des Moines, IA) lefty pitcher for the Central Iowa Riptide, is a pitcher who is coachable, she was constantly making adjustments on the mound, which worked in her favor per her 16 strikeouts throughout her 16 innings pitched. Smith has control of her spin and is working her change, and drop well. Lejlah worked in the 54-58 mph range. She is an athletic pitcher who plays her position and does well under the pressure of having runners on base.

Makenah Brown (2027, Shawnee, KS) is a talented utility player for the Louisville Lady Sluggers 09-VB, playing catcher, the corners, and outfield, Brown has seen the game from every perspective. Mekenah displayed great catching fundamentals this weekend at the Elite 40 Scouting Showcase. She was keeping every close ball on the (turf) in front of her, not allowing base runners to advance. The basics are what matter in catching, framing, blocking, reading situations, calling plays, and directing the softball, Mekenah showed she is well versed in these areas even at a young age. At the plate brown had 4 singles, 2 doubles, and a triple. Her approach to her at-bats is a simple smooth swing through the zone with a fast bat speed. She displayed great control and discipline as well and her 0 strikeouts, 5 runs, and 2 RBI are a result of that!

Brielle Garcia (2027, Paola, KS) is a right-handed pitcher, infielder, and outfielder for the Select Fastpitch- Forsythe. Garcia is a player any coach is happy to have on their lineup, not only is she a consistent, reliable batter, but she also is a great teammate and a positive role model to her fellow players. Garcia has 4 strikeouts in 4 innings, allowing 2 walks and only 1 hit against her in the circle. At the plate, Brielle had 1 stolen base, 4 singles, 4 doubles, 6 runs, and 10 RBIs! She is a player who hustles on and off the field, congratulates those around her who have success, and picks up those who need to be encouraged!

Keelee Hagler ( 2027, Columbia, MO) of the 09 Aces Fastpitch (Mid-MO) had a great weekend. Hagler, a right-handed infielder, and pitcher threw 11 innings and had 17 strikeouts throughout, her rise ball especially was irresistible and a pitch she had confidence in and would throw once the batter had at least one strike; she was throwing in the low to mid 50’s. Hagler also did well on the receiving end of the pitch, she had 5 singles, 2 doubles, and 1 triple, scored 3 runs, and had 4 RBIs. Keelee’s swing is mechanically sound, she swings through the strikezone to extension, has good eyes, and swings at strikes, even if she does strike out, which she did 3 times this weekend against tough pitching competition, she went down swinging at pitches that would have been called strike three!