Perfect Game Softball
Hawaiian Hitfest
May 4-5, 2024
SHAWNEE, KS
18U Division
Finishing on top at the annual Hawaiian Hitfest was the Louisville Lady Sluggers- Harrison. Leading the team as MVP was Annalissa Ray (’26 Holden, MO) showing dynamic lower half power helps to drive the ball hard at any defense. Solid base runner that builds up speed as she goes around and stays quick on her feet and heads up on where the ball is headed. Overall strong athlete. Teammate and RHP, Niley Pyle (’27 Lone Jack, MO) is the full package. In the circle she carries solid composure and doesn’t let anything rattle her. Pyle is a strong leader on the dirt and shows trust in her defense to back her up. Offensively she shows strong discipline and works the the count. She has an energy about her that is contagious and hypes her team up to keep the rally going and leave everything on the field.
Runner up, Nebraska Echoes Cleveland 16U, very own Avery Ullman (’26 Omaha, NE) showed great poise in the box at the leadoff spot. She approached with confidence and consistently found her way on. Kept her hands high and her barrel leveled just enough to power slap the ball through the infield or drive it down into the dirt to rattle the defense. Being able to hit the 3/4 hole or the 5/6 and having plus speed on the base path makes for a threat in their lineup.
RHP, Mackenzie Halderman (’26 Sugar Creek, MO) with Evolution Fastpitch may be small but she is mighty in the circle. With the unexpected movement on her pitches and the fluid motion of every pitch being the same, Halderman kept batters guessing. Offensively, she does her best to help herself out. Sunday, she was seen perfectly dropping a sac bunt down the first base line and found her way on due to placement.
Kc Phoenix 16u Am had a mix of catchers that were both dominant walls behind the plate. Lawrence Technological University Commit, Alexis Lana (’25 Gladstone, MO), has solid framework and smooth glove work on balls in the dirt. She utilizes that skill at short stop as well with fluid motion across her range of the dirt. Keeping her stance low and using her arm strength to get the ball across the diamond. In the batter’s box, she carries a loaded swing through the zone with just enough lift to send the ball to the green. Loni Fizer (’26 Kansas City, MO) Kc Phoneix 16u Am’s other catcher showed just as much strength behind the plate as well as in the batter’s box. She keeps her defense in the know of every play and where they are at with outs, she demonstrates the qualities of a great defensive leader. In the box, Fizer has a smooth transfer of power through her barrel and a solid lower half, holding a big bat in their lineup.
Lilliana Schlappi (’27 Peculiar, MO) and Mattie Sharp (’25 Independence, MO) make an outstanding pitcher catcher duo for KC Ambush 2008. Schlappi has a quick pop to throw behind the plate and isn’t afraid to throw the ball down to any base. As she continues to mature in the position, she will become a serious threat. Sharp demonstrates great skill in the circle. While consistently keeping her range in the mid 50s, she also utilizes the natural drop on her ball to keep batters the dark on her next move. Her screwball stood out as the favor of pitches with how accurately it hit the zone and kept batters on their toes. Overall, a great duo that is determined to only grow together!
RHP, Ellason Lisenbee (’27 Faucett, MO), with Marek Fastpitch academy carried a wicked consistent off speed in her back pocket. The way she kept the momentum of her wind up perpetual left batters questioning when the off speed was coming. Lisenbee shows great promise in the circle as she knows how to play the position as well making plays and tallying up strikeouts.
RHP, Emma White (’24 Belle, MO), in the circle for Osage Stars came to play. Working every inch of the zone she kept her mix of pitches unpredictable. Consistently hitting the mid to upper 50s and not afraid to leave the circle to make a play. Offensively, White carries a sound swing that sends a lot of power through the barrel. With forceful momentum through the ball she makes it difficult for the defense to make a play.
Abbey Dannelly (’25 Omaha, NE) with Quakes Dannelly 18u shows concrete ability in the batter’s box. She takes the cake as a threat in their lineup, being able to show great discipline and the talent to send the ball across the field in any direction. Dannelly was seen Saturday afternoon driving the ball oppo to mark up an RBI in the stat book.