CHICKASHA, OK – Perfect Game Softball OKC Challenge June 2 – 5, 2023. Fifty-Three 14u thru 18u, A Division teams, converged on the Oklahoma City Metro Area for an opportunity to take home the championship and the Silver Cup and rings that went with it. In the 14u Division, it was the Oklahoma Angels 08 beating Epic National 2026 for the championship, 8 to 0. The 16u Division saw Rocky Mtn Thunder-Swank/McAllister 16 Gold beat Nebraska National 15u – Bahl, for the championship by a score of 4 to 1. In one of the best games of the finals, the Texas Lady Dukes FPB 18u needed international tie breaker to outlast the Oklahoma Athletics 18u Premier Cronic 5 to 4 for the 18u Championship.
16u Division
Earning MV-Pitcher recognition was Addison Burdorf (2026 Bennington, NE). Burdorf, a RHP, worked 15 innings for Nebraska National 15u-Bahl, and looked just as comfortable starting a game as she did coming in late in the game for a relief roll. Topping out at 64 mph, Burdorf has a full compliment of pitches that includes a rise, change-up, curve, drop, and drop curve to go with her fastball. Utilizing a solid leg drive to the plate, with fluid and consistent arm swing, Burdorf collected 23 strikeouts utilizing a good rise, a drop that rolled off the table and a curve that showed snappy glove side run. As this young lady matures, and with continued work on her craft, there will be strength gains which should translate to increased velocity and higher ball spin rate, for even greater movement. This would be a good follow for any program looking for a 26, that has solid tools and projects to improve over the next few years.
Our MVP in the 16u Division was Kennedy Brian (2025 Aurora, CO) playing for Rocky Mtn Thunder-Swank/McAllister 16 Gold. Brian, hitting from the right side, utilizes a slightly open set-up, gets into her legs and gets separation by way of a toe touch. Brian does a good job of getting back to parallel and working her hands inside the ball, showing the ability to hit gap to gap to pick up extra base hits. For the tournament, Brian collected nine hits, which included 4 doubles and a triple, swiped 3 bases and scored ten runs. Most impressively was what Brian did on Championship Monday, when she went 7 for 7 on the day, from the lead-off spot, setting the table for her teammates as RMT marched to the championship win. This young lady will have the opportunity to play at the next level.
Other players making an impact this tournament included Hannah Focht (2025 Council Hill, OK) playing for the Oklahoma Intimidators. Focht, a RHH, starts with a slight crouch and slight bend at the waist. With only some bat movement while in her stance, she utilizes her stride to gain separation. Utilizing a good lower half to generate torque, and keeping her hands inside the ball, Focht’s shows good power through the middle with the ability to also hit for average. Leading the tournament with 13 hits, she collected four doubles and a homerun, knocked in eight, stole three bases and scored 13 runs, while hitting at a .650 pace, leading the Intimidators to the Silver Bracket Championship.
Emma Culie (2026 Peggs, OK) is a catcher, hitting from the right side, for Mo Bombers Gold-SwMO. Culie, utilizing a mostly erect stance in the box, and gets into her back hip prior to her stride. She utilizes a good turn and tilt, in conjunction with solid use of her lower half setting an aggressive attack angle, Culie shows good pull side power and does not get jammed up on the inside pitch, as she works her hands inside the ball. Culie picked up five hits that included two triples and a homerun, scored six runs, knocked in eight and swiped 3 bases. Showing discipline at the plate, Culie also picked up four free bases and did not collect a strikeout. As Culie matures and gains strength, she would project to have power numbers that will have coaches at the next level looking her way.
Anna Malaske (2026 Choctaw, OK) is a LHH, batting lead-off for Epic National 07. Malaske showed that she was as equally comfortable moving in the box as a slapper, as she was digging in and swinging away, in collecting eight hits that included a double, triple and homerun while knocking in five. Malaske, besides displaying good foot speed, showed the ability to get a well-timed push off the base and take extra bases without hesitation. This ability allowed her to steal 5 bases and put herself in position to score seven runs. At the plate, Malaske took what the defense was giving her and adjusted accordingly, showing good barrel awareness while moving and a solid fundamental approach when swinging away. For the tournament, Malaske hit at a .667 clip and finished with a .714 OBP, both solid numbers a coach would want in a quality lead-off at the next level.
Toni Pugh (2026 Salado, TX), hitting from the right side for Texas Hooks Elite, set up in a slightly open stance, holding the bat out front as if going to bunt, and would then pull the bat back into a more conventional position as the pitcher was delivering the pitch, using this move as a timing mechanism. Pugh displayed a solid use of her lower half in her swing, worked her hands inside the ball and showed the ability to drive the ball opposite field with power. Pugh picked up six hits, with two bombs, scored six times and knocked in nine. Consistently barreling up the ball, Pugh hit .667 for the tournament and had an impressive .750 OBP. This young lady has a great approach at the plate, with the ability to execute, that will transfer well to the next level.
Jadyn Johnson (2026 Englewood, OH), a LHH playing for Miami Valley Xpress 07, showed some serious pull side power. Johnson was able to take the low inside pitch, get her barrel on it, and deposit it 270 feet from home plate. Johnson stands almost erect in the box and uses a small movement to get her weight to the back hip. A small stride, and a push with the hands back, gets her separation. Even though displaying pull side power, Johnson does a good job of keeping her front side closed and does also drive the ball opposite field as well. For the tournament, she picked up 5 hits, that included two doubles and 2 tanks, scored six runs and knocked in eight. It is obvious that Johnson has the ability to hit the ball far. As she matures as a hitter, she will benefit from developing better patience at the plate, hunting for her pitch early in the count, to make more consistent hard contact.
Keira Stripling (2027 Wichita, KS) is a LHP for 16u Texas Glory Ks. Utilizing a full bag of pitches that included a curve, screw, change-up, rise and drop, to go along with her fastball that topped out at 62 mph, Stripling worked 10 innings in the circle and collected 15 strikeouts. Stripling, who is not very big in stature, displayed a quick arm swing and great use of her legs to generate speed and spin. She was able to pitch to both sides of the plate, always being around the strike zone, and her movement pitches showed late break that were seldom barreled up. Stripling gave up one free pass and one earned run, finishing with a 0.70 ERA and a 0.75 WHIP. Don’t sleep on this one and let her small frame dictate your decision, this young lady can flat out pitch and should only get better over the next several seasons. One of the best young arms of the tournament.
Emmaline Humphreys (2026 Westminster, CO) is a RHP for Rocky Mtn Thunder-Swank/McAllister 16 Gold. Humphreys, armed with a full pitch arsenal of rise, drop, change-up, curve and screw, to go with a fastball that topped out at 61 mph worked 14 innings in the circle and sat down 15 batters via strikeout. Humphreys displayed a fluid delivery and arm swing and good use of her leg drive to generate velocity and spin. She was able to pitch to both sides of the plate and was not shy about challenging hitters on the inside part of the plate. Humphreys showed a late moving curve that missed barrels and a deceptive change-up that buckled several knees as there was no tip-off from Humphreys, no change of delivery or slowing down of her motion, that would show the change-up was coming. A 2026, that would be a good follow, that should only get better as she matures and gains strength.
Ryla Zehring (2025 Miamisburg, OH) would be the true definition of a power pitcher. Touching 63 mph, Zehring brings a full compliment of pitches into the circle that includes a curve, change-up, screw, rise, drop and the before mentioned fastball. Utilizing a very deliberate wind up and motion to the plate, she will throw all spin pitches to both sides of the plate, working in on the hands of hitters and then throwing tight spin back door pitches for several swing and miss strikeouts. Zehring worked 10 innings and collected 22 strikeouts, none more impressive than the Xpress opening pool game, where she pitched a four inning one hitter, striking out nine for the win. Although seen as a power pitcher, Zehring is consistently around the strike zone and only allowed one free pass in her innings of work. This young lady passes the eye test, backs it up with her performance, and will be pitching at the next level if she chooses to continue playing the game.
Alycia Cosens (2025 Pittsburg, KS) pitching for Afa 16u Scruggs, is a perfect example that you do not have to throw hard to be successful. The LHP Cosens, worked 12 innings and struck out 15 batters, utilizing a drop, rise, change-up and drop-curve to go with her fastball that sat at 59mph. Cosens showed a fluid motion, with a consistent arm swing and really nice leg drive to the plate. When throwing her drop and drop-curve, Cosens hides the pitches well, as she does not slow down her motion, and the pitches themselves show tight spin and late movement that hitters swing over the top of. Not just a pitcher only, Cosens was able to help her team at the plate by collecting four hits with a double and a homerun, scoring three runs and knocking in three.
Carleigh Kinnaird (2025 Neosho, MO) a RHP for Mo Bombers Gold-SwMo, keeps things simple and basic with a four-pitch bag of curve, change-up, rise and fastball that topped out at 62 mph. What she does with those pitches is throw them all for strikes, working both sides of the plate, hitting spots. In Kinnaird’s 13 innings of work, she struck out 17, primarily utilizing a tight spinning curve that showed late break and a rise that stayed just above the batter’s hands. With a repeatable motion and delivery, with great use of her legs, Kinnaird, with continued work on her craft, has the tools to play at the next level.
- Dave Durbala