CHESTERFIELD, MO - Perfect Game Softball 18u World Series, July 13 - 14, 2024. Teams representing Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky and Oklahoma made their way to the Chesterfield Valley Athletic Complex for the inaugural 18u PG Softball World Series. Utilizing two pool play games to secure seedings, and then a double elimination bracket, 918 FFS Bartley/TJ, representing Oklahoma, ran the table finishing 6 - 0 to win the championship, only giving up three runs on the weekend. Fury Platinum - Leidecker, out of Kentucky, earned the runner-up finish.
Earning the MVP Award was Bailey Couch (2024 Bronaugh, MO), an athletic right handed hitting 2B for tournament champion 918 FFS Bartley/TJ. Setting up in the box in an open, well -balanced stance, Couch leans into the back side for weight transfer. Getting back to parallel with stride, Couch hits from a firm front side showing good use of her lower half and nice extension with her swing, working her hands inside the ball, hitting to all fields. For the tournament, Couch picked up six hits that included two doubles and a triple, and scored 10 runs. She knocked in two runs, stole two bases, drew two walks, and did not record a strikeout. Defensively, Couch showed good pre-pitch movement, good footwork around the bag, and displayed the ability to throw accurately from varied arm slots. Couch, a Ft. Scott Community College commit, definitely has the tools to be successful at the next level and should have the opportunity to make an immediate impact for the Greyhounds.
Our MV-Pitcher Award went to Addley Leidecker (2026 Paducah, KY) a RHP for tournament finalist Fury Platinum Bartley/TJ. Leidecker, displayed an aggressive motion and delivery, with solid use of her lower half in the drive phase, showed hitters a six pitch mix while in the circle. Armed with a fastball, change-up, rise, curve, screw and off-speed, Leidecker worked the ball throughout the zone while topping out at 57 mph. With good movement on her spin pitches, Leidecker utilized her ability to change speed and pitch to locations to be successful. In her 24 innings of work, she struck out 14 hitters, gave up one walk and allowed five earned runs. Although she gave up twenty hits, Leidecker showed composure, worked out of jams and did not allow any big innings to finish with a 1.50 ERA and 0.88 WHIP. This young lady, with continued work on her craft over the next couple of years, will be a good follow for next level coaches.
Other players showing out this weekend included Audrey Knisely (2027 Hardin, KY), a RHH catcher for Fury Platinum - Leidecker. Knisely, utilizing a slightly open stance, hinged at the waist, and sitting into her legs, uses a slight coil to get the bat back and gain some separation. Although one of the youngest players in the tournament, and with fences set at 225 feet, Knisely showed her power potential by collecting one of only five home runs that were hit on the weekend. Picking up eight hits, with 3 doubles and the earlier mentioned bomb, she knocked in four, scored three runs and finished with a .500 batting average, showing the ability to hit for power and average.
Grace Major (2024 Columbus, KS) is a two way player that earned her way onto both the hitting and pitching top performers list, playing for tournament champion 918 FFS Bartley/TJ. Offensively, the Seminole State College commit, hitting from the right side, sets up in an open stance, sitting into her legs, hinged at the waist. She works weight into her back hip and utilizes a stride to get separation, and utilizes her lower half to its fullest, generating good pull side power. Major collected five hits, which included three doubles and a home run, knocked in six and scored three runs. In the circle, displaying an easy, repeatable motion and delivery, again with solid use of her lower half in the drive phase, Major utilized a five pitch bag of fastball, change-up, rise, drop and curve. Topping out at 62 mph, Major challenged hitters inside and showed a late moving drop that resulted in several swing and miss attempts. In her 12 innings of work, she struck out 16, allowed five hits, and did not give up a free pass or allow an earned run to finish with a 0.00 ERA and 0.42 WHIP.
Heidi Humble (2024 Clinton, IL), hitting from the right side, put together a nice weekend to help Texas Glory 06 IL Sk to a deep run in the bracket. Displaying a solid set-up, rocking into the back side for weight transfer and then utilizing a stride to gain separation and momentum, Humble stays short and quick to the ball, using her hips and lower half to assist her in generating pull-side power. Collecting six hits, that included a double and a triple, Humble scored four runs, picked up three rbi’s and showed patience at the plate in drawing two walks.
Addison Gralund (2025 Marion, IA) continues to show the ability to get outs and earn her way onto our top performers list. Gralund, a RHP for Iowa Gold Fastpitch 18u Rh, displays a smooth delivery and release, with good utilization of her lower half in the drive phase, with no wasted motion. Showing hitters a six pitch mix of fastball, change-up, rise, drop, curve and screw, Gralund is successful because she can work the whole zone, on both sides of the plate, and can throw all of her pitches for strikes, Topping out at 59 mph, she displayed late movement on her spin pitches, locked up hitters with her change-up, that she threw for strikes, and challenged hitters inside. In her 16 innings of work, Gralund sat down 30 batter’s via strike out, allowed 5 hits, gave up five free passes and allowed two earned runs, to finish with a 0.90 ERA and 0.63 WHIP. This young lady, with next level tools, is a definite follow over the next year.
Brylen Bartley (2024 Wyandotte, OK) is a RHP for tournament champion 918 FFS Bartley/TJ. Displaying a smooth repeatable motion and delivery, with solid use of her lower half in the drive phase, Bartley brought a five pitch bag into the circle consisting of fastball, change-up, rise, curve and screw. Topping out at 57 mph, Bartley showed the ability to hit her spots,working the whole zone, challenging hitters on both sides of the plate, changing speed to upset hitters' timing, and consistently being around the plate. In her 11.2 innings of work, she struck out 15 hitters, allowed three hits, did not give up a walk and did not allow an earned run. Finishing the tournament with a 0.00 ERA and 0.26 WHIP, Bartley, a Ft. Scott Community College commit, showed the ability to be successful as she moves on to the next level this Fall.
Arion Lonergan (2025 Rock Island, IL) is a RHP for Texas Glory 07 RH. Displaying a fluid motion and delivery, with no wasted movement, Lonergan went to work with a seven pitch mix of fastball, change-up, rise, drop, curve, screw and two-seamer. Completing 13.1 innings, Lonergan topped out at 60 mph, showing hitters a late moving curve, a change-up that she did not tip off, and good glove side run on her two-seamer in collecting 11 strikeouts. She allowed11 hits, without giving up any big innings, handed out five free passes and allowed two earned runs to finish with a 1.10 ERA and 1.20 WHIP.
Kaitlyn Wilson (2025 Pocahontas, IL), playing for Lady Roughnecks 06, is a RHP that showed hitters a six pitch mix of fastball, change-up, rise, curve, screw and two-seam. Topping out at 54 mph, Wilson relied on her ability to pitch to spots and changing speeds to keep hitters off-balance. She challenged hitters inside utilizing her screw and two-seamer, which showed nice glove side run. Working 17.1 innings in the circle, Wilson struck out 12, allowed 11 hits, gave up two walks and four earned runs, to finish with a 1.60 ERA and 0.75 WHIP.
Madison Adams (2023 Bloomington, IL) a two way player for Texas Glory 06 IL Sk, earned her way onto the top performers list for pitching, as well as hitting. The LHH/RHP, worked 19.2 innings in the circle and displayed a fluid, repeatable motion. Topping out at 58 mph, Adams, a pitch to contact pitcher, showed a five pitch mix of fastball, change-up, rise, curve and screw with nice spin rates and the ability to work both sides of the plate. Adams struck out nine, walked two and gave up five earned runs to finish with a 1.80 ERA and 1.07 WHIP. At the plate, Adams collected seven hits, including two doubles and knocked in three. Due to the use of courtesy runners, Adams was only credited with two runs scored.