BURLINGTON, IA - Perfect Game March Madness Tournament, February 28 - March 2, 2025 saw 23 teams in the 14u and 18u Divisions, representing five states, gather to chase championship rings and get some much needed early season work in. In the 14u Division, Wisconsin Lightning 2010 14u went 5 - 0 on their way to the championship, and in the 18u Division it was Nebraska Gold 319 Berning finishing 5 - 0 to grab the rings. Below are the scout notes from the tournament MVP, MV-Pitcher and top performers in each age division.
14U DIVISION
Earning the MVP Award was McKynna Szymandera (2028 Racine, WI), a corner infielder, hitting from the right side, for tournament champion Wisconsin Lightning 2010 14u. Szymandera sets up in a slightly open stance, with weight set into the legs. Utilizing a slight lean to transfer weight, she then launches her swing through a stride, showing very effective use of her solid lower half in the swing. Hitting the ball to all fields, and showing power to all fields, Szymandera picked up six hits that included two doubles and two home runs, to knock in nine and score five runs. Although showing good power, Szymandera was patient at the plate, did not record a strike out and finished with a .600 batting average. A young lady with a solid swing that will be a good follow as she continues to develop over the next few years.
The MV-Pitcher Award went to Leona Eichholz (2028 Harvard, IL), a RHP for tournament champion Wisconsin Lightning 2010 14u. For anyone that was able to watch her performance this weekend, she left no doubt that she is one of the nations top pitchers in the 2028 class. Topping out at 63 mph, Eichholz showed hitters a six pitch mix of fastball, off-speed, rise, drop, curve and screw. Although throwing 63 mph consistently is impressive, it was a pitch she has recently been putting work into, her drop, that accounted for several swing and miss attempts. In her 10 innings of work, Eichholz struck out all 30 batters she faced, including a five inning, 15 strikeout perfect game, in the championship final, in which she only threw 47 pitches, two over the minimum required to accomplish this feat. Perfect Game Softball would like to wish this young lady good luck, as she travels to Mexico later this month to represent the United States, as a member of the U-15 U.S. Women's National Team.
Other top performers this weekend include Kiley Besson (2028 Davenport, IA), a RHH for Texas Glory IL who regularly worked the ball gap to gap. Setting up slightly open into her legs, Besson achieves weight transfer via leaning into the back hip, and uses a stride to get separation. She does a good job of staying connected and working her hands inside the ball. Besson picked up seven hits that included two doubles and two home runs. She scored five runs and picked up four rbi’s, finishing the weekend hitting at a .538 clip. This young lady has shown to be consistent at the plate, and one would expect this to continue if she puts in the effort to work on her craft as she grows and matures over the next few years.
Caringtyn Horstmann (2028 Bennett, IA) is a LHH for Texas Glory IL, who again finds herself finishing in the top tier of the top performers list. Beginning with an open stance, Horstmann makes a negative move with a lean to get weight transferred to the back hip, before gaining separation, momentum and getting back to parallel, with her stride. With a line drive approach, Horstmann picked up five hits, with a double and two home runs. She scored five times, knocked in five and worked pitchers for three walks, to finish with a .455 batting average. As this young lady matures as a player, gaining strength and developing her skill set, she will have the opportunity to play at the next level.
Jovie Coon (2029 Alma, KS) is a RHH for Mhk Prospects Gold, who sets up with a slightly open stance, sitting into her legs. Coon utilizes a small leg kick, then to stride, to get weight moving back, before launching her swing. Utilizing a solid lower half, Coon showed good pull side power in collecting five hits, with a double and two home runs. She knocked in six, scored four runs, drew a walk and struck out once to finish with a .625 batting average and .727 OBP. This young lady is a hitter with a good understanding of what she is trying to accomplish when she steps into the batter's box. She rarely chased a bad pitch and showed the ability to barrel up pitches.
Iyana Merino (2028 Iowa City, IA), a RHH for Cedar Rapids Reds, did not miss many barrels during this event. Setting up in an athletic stance, weight evenly balanced, Merino leans into the back leg to transfer weight and then utilizes a stride to gain separation. Merino collected a tournament leading eight hits, that included a double and a home run, scored two runs and knocked in seven to also finish with a tournament leading .727 batting average, with qualified number of plate appearances. As this young lady matures and gains strength, and with continued work on her craft, she would project to be a hitter that will show good power numbers as well as hit for average.
Ava Dixon (2028 Foley, MO) is a quality RHP for tournament finalist Top Gun 2028 - Strange. Showing hitters a smooth repeatable motion with consistent arm swing, Dixon went to work with a five pitch mix of fastball, change-up, rise, drop and curve. Topping out at 60 mph, Dixon was able to spot her fastball, disrupt hitters timing with a nice change-up she threw for strikes, and got several hitters to chase a very nice, tight spinning, late moving curve. In her 10 innings of work, Dixon sat down 17 hitters via strike out, gave up one hit, two free passes, and did not allow an earned run, finishing with a 0.00 ERA and 0.30 WHIP. This young lady, already possessing tools and abilities that are sought after by next level coaches, should only get better with continued work on her skill set as she matures and gains strength over the next few years.
Harper Meyers (2030 Amana, IA) is a fine young RHP for Blue Devils 14u, who possesses good height and athleticism. Showing hitters with a consistent motion and delivery, Meyers worked hitters with a five pitch bag of fastball, change-up, rise, drop and drop curve, while topping out at 58 mph. Keeping hitters off balance with good change of speed, and movement on her drop curve, Meyers worked 7.1 innings, striking out 12. She gave up six hits and three base on balls while only allowing one earned run to finish with a 1.00 ERA and 1.23 WHIP. As this young lady has matured and gained strength, we are seeing increased velocity and spin rates that have increased the effectiveness of her change-up and movement pitches.
Gracie Neal (2029 Alburnett, IA) is a RHP for the Cedar Rapids Reds. Neal, working with a simple four pitch mix of fastball, change-up, rise and drop, shows hitters a deliberate motion and delivery, keeping the ball around the strike zone. Topping out at 57 mph, Neal worked 8.2 innings and struck out six, while giving up six hits, one walk and two earned runs. Neal found success keeping the ball off of barrels, utilizing a nice change-up, and working the lower half of the zone on both sides of the plate, to finish with a 1.60 ERA and 0.81 WHIP. As a 2029, Neal has time to grow and mature as a pitcher, to develop increased skills that will allow her to continue to be successful in the circle.
Ella Trewin (2028 Walford, IA), playing for Eastern Iowa Barracudas Kessler, is a LHP that mechanically showed aggressive use of her lower half in the drive phase, while also showing a good arm swing. Terwin utilized a five pitch bag of fastball, change-up, rise, drop and screw, in working 7.1 innings, striking out five, while topping out at 60 mph. She allowed four hits, four free passes and gave up two earned runs to finish with a 1.90 ERA and 1.09 WHIP. Trewin did show her athleticism, on more than one occasion, by getting out of the circle to make plays on bunts or balls beat into the turf in front of the plate. This young lady may be flying under the radar at this point, but that will not be the case for long with continued top performances.
18U DIVISION
Earning the MVP Award was Kyla Schulte (2026 Amana, IA), a RHH with tournament champion Nebraska Gold 319 Berning. Schulte sets up in a parallel stance, leans into the back hip to transfer weight and then gains separation and momentum with a short stride. With utilization of her lower half and hitting from a firm front side, Schulte has high level pull side power, demonstrated by picking up a double and four bombs in her seven hits. Schulte scored six runs and knocked in nine, none of which were more clutch than the walk off game winner in the championship game, finishing the weekend hitting at a .585 clip. This young lady, who is uncommitted at this time, has a high level skill set at the plate that can play at the next level.
Emily Koranda (2025 Marion, IA) is a RHP for Tournament champion Nebraska Gold 319 Berning. There is not much more that can be said about the Missouri State University commit, who continues to impress, as she works her five pitch mix of fastball, change-up, rise, drop and curve, while topping out at 65 mph. In her 10 innings of work, Koranda struck out 26, allowed one hit, walked two and did not give up an earned run, to finish the tournament with a 0.00 ERA and 0.30 WHIP, to earn her fifth MV-Pitcher Award. Koranda possesses the skill set that will make an impact as she moves into the college ranks, and I would expect continued success for this young lady at the next level.
Other players turning in top performances include Julia Roth (2026 Dubuque, IA), who shined at the plate and in the circle for Lady Expos Blue. Roth, a R/R, and recent University of Iowa commit, sets up in a conventional stance in the box, sitting into her legs and utilizes a low leg kick to transfer weight prior to stride. Always looking relaxed at the plate, Roth showed a quick barrel and power to all fields in going 10 for 11, an amazing .909 average, with two doubles and four home runs, scoring seven runs and collecting nine rbi’s. In the circle, topping out at 63 mph, Roth worked 10.1 innings, striking out 22 and allowing two earned runs to finish with a 1.40 ERA and 1.16 WHIP.
Jolee Strohmeyer (2026 Dubuque, IA), is another R/R two-way for Lady Expos Blue. Strohmeyer, sets up in an athletic stance, weight distributed into the legs and uses a stride to gain separation and momentum. Strohmeyer shows quick hands and an aggressive swing with solid use of her lower half. Working her hands inside the ball, Strohmeyer hit the ball to all fields, with power, to collect six hits with a double and three home runs. She scored seven runs and knocked in seven to finish with a .600 batting average. In the circle, showing hitters a five pitch mix of fastball, change-up, rise, drop and curve, she struck out 11 in her five innings of work, topping out at 61 mph.
Carly Brewer ( 2025 Norwalk, IA) is a RHH for the Norwalk Varsity Warriors, who usually gets accolades for her pitching, but this weekend it is about her offense. With an athletic stance, weight set into her legs, Brewer leans into the back hip to transfer weight and then with a stride gets separation and gains momentum. Brewer, a University of Iowa commit, showed some pull side power, picking up eight hits that included a double and two home runs. She scored six runs and knocked in seven, to finish with a .667 batting average for her effort.
Rudy Dobbins (2025 Neelyville, MO) is a L/R corner infielder for Select Fastpitch - McManus. Dobbins settles into the box with an open stance, staying tall with weight already moved into the back hip, before getting back to parallel with her stride while also developing separation and momentum for the swing. Dobbins, a McKendree University commit, does a good job keeping her front side closed, and in doing so, is able to drive the ball the opposite way with power. In picking up seven hits, Dobbins collected three doubles and a home run, scored seven runs and knocked in seven, to finish the weekend hitting at a .778 clip.
Lily Knutson (2026 Cedar Rapids, IA) is a RHP for Nebraska Gold 319 Berning, and no stranger to scout notes. Knutson, a recent Augustana University commit, showed hitters a six pitch mix of fastball, change-up, rise, drop, curve and screw, while topping out at 58 mph. Knutson, not relying on just one pitch, has shown she can be effective spotting her fastball, fooling hitters with her change-up, getting hitters to chase the rise, or miss barrels with a late moving curve, to secure outs. In her eight innings of work, she struck out 20, gave up six hits, with no base on balls and allowed two earned runs, finishing with a 1.80 ERA and 0.75 WHIP.
Caitlin Bunte (2025 Quincy, IL) is a LHP for the Illinois Firecrackers who shows hitters a repeatable motion and delivery, staying tall throughout, with good use of her lower half in the drive phase. Bunte, a University of Indianapolis commit, works hitters with a five pitch bag of fastball, change-up, rise, drop and curve, with the change-up being the money pitch. With a top velocity of 63 mph, Bunte brings the change-up, with no tip-off it is coming, in the mid 40 mph range, causing hitters to experience a total timing disruption. In her 6.2 innings of work, Bunte struck out 11, allowed two hits, walked five, but did not allow an earned run, finishing with a 0.00 ERA and 1.05 WHIP.