BURLINGTON, IA - Perfect Game February Frenzy, February 20-22, 2026. Twenty-two teams, representing five states, rolled into town for the opportunity to compete in this pool play, then into bracket play, with four games guaranteed, in both a 14u and 18u division. Taking home top honors in the 14u division was Midwest Sluggers 11, who held off a late charge by the Black Dragons , winning 7-5. In the 18u division, it was Nebraska Gold 319 Berning topping Iowa Gold Prospects 4-0, avenging a pool play opening, 1-0 loss. Below are some of the players that played their way onto our Top Performers list, including the MVP and MV-Pitcher from the championship bracket in each age division.
14U Division
Earning the 14u division MVP award was Presley Perkins (2030 Taylor Ridge, IL) who although is listed as a switch hitting OF, was only observed hitting from the left side for tournament champion Midwest Sluggers 11. Perkins sets up in a conventional stance, with toes usually on the chalk line, and utilizes a toe touch to stride for weight transfer, and to gain separation. Doing a good job of keeping her front side closed, Perkins hits the ball to all fields, but appears to be at her best when spraying the ball the opposite way, into left field. Do not expect power numbers at this time from Perkins, she is a contact hitter that gets on base. On the weekend she collected six hits, with one double, and knocked in eight. She scored four runs, drew four base on balls and did not record a strikeout, to finish with a .750 batting average and .833 OBP.
Taking home the MV-Pitcher award was Brianna Schlapkohl (2029 Milan, IL), a RHP for tournament champion Midwest Sluggers 11. Schlapkohl utilizes a repeatable motion, with a step back to transfer weight, then showing good use of her legs in the drive phase. With a consistent arm swing, Schlapkohl works hitters with a six pitch mix of fastball, change-up, rise, drop, curve and screw. Topping out at 56 mph, Schlapkohl does a good job of hitting her spots and changing speed to keep hitters off-balance. In 9.2 innings of work, Schlapkohl struck out 14, with her curve doing most of the damage. She gave up 14 hits and three walks, while allowing 2 earned runs to finish with a 1.40 ERA and 1.76 WHIP. Helping herself on the other side of the ball, Schlapkohl picked up six hits, knocked in two, drew three walks and scored seven runs.
Other players turning in top performances includes Addison O'Neil (2029 Urbandale, IA), a RHH for Iowa Elite Force 14u. O’Neil sets up in a conventional stance, sitting into her legs and utilizes a pre-step to transfer weight and get some separation, before striding and launching her swing. With good bat speed, and solid use of her lower half, O’Neil displayed the ability to drive the ball a long way. In her five hits, she picked up a double and two home runs while collecting six rbi’s. She scored five runs, drew one walk and struck out two times, finishing with a .500 batting average.
Kendall Gosnell (2030 Grayslake, IL), a RHH for Illinois Lightning 13u 2030, made the most of her at bats this weekend. Gosnell sets up in a slightly open stance, sitting into her legs and hinged at the waist, utilizing a stride for timing and momentum. Gosnell is explosive with her hips and displayed pull-side power in picking up four hits, that included two bombs, knocking in five. She drew two walks, scored five runs and did not have a strike out to finish with an amazing .800 batting average and .857 OBP.
Linny Corzatt (2029 Media, IL) is an outstanding two-way player for Southeast Iowa Swarm. Hitting from the left side, Corzatt starts out with a well balanced open stance. She makes a pre-pitch toe tap move to get back to parallel, before launching her swing. Corzatt worked her hands inside the ball, utilizing the whole field in picking up six hits that included three doubles and a home run. She scored five runs, knocked in five runs, finishing with a .500 batting average for her effort. In the circle, Corzatt worked three innings, striking out six, allowing two hits, with no walks, and gave up one earned run while topping out at 59 mph.
Madalyn Craig (2029 Gretna, NE) is an athletic MIF for Nebraska Gold Evans. Hitting from the right-side, Craig works from a slightly open stance, weight into her legs, hinged at the waist. Working her hands inside the ball, although Craig displayed the ability to turn on a pitch, she had her best success when peppering the right centerfield gap. Craig picked up seven hits, which included a couple of doubles, allowing her to score five runs, swiped two bases and collect six rbi’s, to finish off the tournament hitting at a .538 clip.
Brynlea Beyer (2030 Omaha,NE) is a young outstanding RHP for Nebraska Gold Evans. Beyer showed hitters a consistent motion and delivery that included a leap in the drive phase that closed the distance to the batter, and assisted her in topping out at 62 mph. With a five pitch bag of fastball, change-up, rise, curve and screw, Beyer worked 13.1 innings, sitting down an outstanding 32 batters via strike out. Beyer utilized a tight spinning, swing and miss type, late moving curve and a rise that hitters could not get on top of, to do most of her damage. Beyer gave up one hit, two walks and no earned runs, finishing with a 0.00 ERA and 0.23 WHIP.
Quinn Zweibohmer (2029 Morning Sun, IA) is a RHP for Iowa United 14u, and an amazing young arm for her year class. Displaying a repeatable motion, utilizing a small leap in the drive phase, along with a fluid arm swing in her delivery, Zweibohmer was able to top out at 63 mph. Working with a six pitch mix of fastball, change-up, rise, drop, curve and screw, Zweibohmer sat down 22 via strike out in her 11.2 innings of work. She was able to throw her curve to both sides of the plate and showed good command of her change-up. Zweibohmer gave up four hits and six base on balls, without allowing an earned run, finishing with a 0.00 ERA and 0.86 WHIP.
Avery Bower (2029 Ankeny, IA) is a RHP for Iowa Elite Force 14u. Bower, with a deliberate motion and delivery, showed hitters a simple four pitch bag of fastball, change-up, rise and curve. In her 8.1 innings of work, while topping out at 58 mph, Bower disrupted hitters' timing with a deceptive change-up and had them chasing her curve out of the zone, to collect 15 strike outs for the weekend. Bower surrendered seven hits and three walks, which led to two earned runs, finishing with a 1.70 ERA and 1.20 WHIP for her effort.
Mikayla Bert (2029 Caledonia, WI) is a RHP for Northern Ice 29ers, who appears taller in the circle than the listed height of 5 foot 9 inches. With a motion and delivery that includes a good push in the drive phase, and a long stride that closes the distance to the batter, Bert topped out at 59 mph. With a mix of fastball, change-up, rise, drop and curve, Bert was able to show hitters a change of speed with her drop and change-up, with her curve providing some nice late moving horizontal movement. In her 11.2 innings of work, Bert struck out 19 batters, while giving up 15 hits and four base on balls, to allow four earned runs, finishing with a 2.40 ERA and 1.63 WHIP.
Other notable performances for the tournament included……..
Kylea Schwenker (2029 New Londan, IA) of the Southeast Iowa Swarm, swiped four bases and scored five runs after picking up six hits, which included three doubles, to finish with a .667 batting average.
Kaylee Nelson (2029 Antioch, IL) picked up six hits, with a double and home run, to collect five rbi’s for Northern Ice 29ers.
Payton Vanzuiden (2029 Geneseo, IL), playing for Thunder 14u Feuerbach, picked up nine strikeouts in 5.1 innings of work, showing a top velocity of 60 mph.
Taylynn Denning (2029 Warsaw, IL)was the work horse in the circle for tournament finalist, Black Dragons, picking up 10 strikeouts in 13.1 innings of work and finishing with a 1.60 ERA.
18U Division
Earning the 18u division MVP award was Brynna Gander (2028 Marion, IA) a tall, lanky, LHH/OF for tournament champion Nebraska Gold 319 Berning. Hitting in the lead-off spot, Gander can get things going in a hurry. From a wide stance, slightly open, Gander has good weight transfer, and good extension through contact, resulting in her ability to hit the ball hard.
Gander, who also shows good speed to go with her power, picked up six hits, which included three doubles and two home runs. She collected four rbi’s, scored five runs and drew one walk, finishing with a .462 batting average. Defensively, Gander utilizes her speed and length to cover ground in the gaps from her centerfield position, and shows adequate arm strength to make all necessary throws. This young lady, with next level skill set, is a sought after player in the 2028 class.
Earning the MV-Pitcher award was Lily Knutson (2026 Cedar Rapids, IA), a RHP for tournament champion Nebraska Gold 319 Berning, is no stranger to this award. The Augustana University (SD) commit has won this award four times prior, as well as picking up an MVP award along the way. Knutson, although with a full bag of pitches, usually works hitters with her rise, change-up and curve, her best three, while topping out at 61 mph. With late, big movement on her curve, a rise that she works just over the hitters hands, and a very deceptive change-up that she throws for strikes, Knutson picked up 27 strikeouts in her 12 innings of work. She gave up three hits and two free passes, while allowing one earned run, to finish with a 0.60 ERA and 0.42 WHIP, to earn her 5th MV-Pitcher award.
Other players turning in top performances includes Kori Lincicum (2026 Ankeny, IA), who is an outstanding two-way for tournament finalist Iowa Gold Prospects. Hitting from the right -side, Lincicum stands tall in the box, slightly open, using a toe touch to transfer weight and get parallel. With good tilt and turn, Lincicum set an aggressive attack angle that resulted in five hits, which included a double and two bombs, knocking in six and scoring six runs. She showed discipline at the plate in drawing six walks, as pitchers worked carefully around her, finishing with a .714 batting average and .846 OBP. In the circle, Lincicum worked 12.1 innings recording 29 strikeouts, which included a seven inning, 18 strikeout performance to open up pool play. This Drake University commit will have the opportunity to make an impact, on both sides of the ball, when she arrives on campus.
Natalie Thomson (2026 Aledo, IL) is a RHH for Lady Hitmen 18u Crawford. Thomson, standing tall in the box with a narrow stance, uses a slight coil to shift weight before initiating a stride to launch her swing. With solid use of her lower half, Thomson generates good torque and power, but with a smooth easy swing. In collecting eight hits, the Black Hawk College commit picked up two doubles and a home run, while working the ball to all fields, to knock in seven and score four runs. Showing good discipline at the plate, Thomson made it through the weekend without striking out, finishing with an outstanding .800 batting average.
Dylan Amling (2028 Cedar Rapids, IA) is a C/UT for tournament champion Nebraska Gold 319 Berning. Amling, hitting from the right-side, sets up in a conventional stance, slightly wide, sitting into legs. With a strong lower half, and working her hands inside the ball, Amling generates good bat speed and pop, showing power to all fields. In picking up seven hits, which included two doubles and a home run, Amling collected five rbi’s and scored four runs, finishing with a .538 batting average.
Danika Saddoris (2026 Hillsdale, IL), playing for Lady Hitmen 18u Crawford, is another outstanding two-way player to make it onto both top performers list. At the plate, the RHH Saddoris uses a parallel stance, sitting into legs with a forward then back rocking motion to get weight to the back side, prior to stride. Saddoris, showing pull-side strength, collected eight hits which included an amazing five doubles, to knock in three and score five runs, finishing with a .727 batting average. In the circle, working with a full arsenal of pitches, Saddoris, topping out at 59 mph, showed hitters good glove side run with her two-seamer, and late movement on her curve, throwing each pitch to both sides of the plate. In her 10.1 innings of work, the Southern Maine Community College commit, gave up two runs, on 15 hits, without any walks to finish with a 1.40 ERA and 1.45 WHIP.
Lyla Canny (2026 Walford, IA) is another dominating arm for tournament champion Nebraska Gold 319 Berning. The LHP Canny, standing 6 foot tall, is lanky with long levers, showing hitters a deliberate motion and delivery, using her length to close the distance to the batter. Working with a five pitch mix of fastball, change-up, rise, drop curve, and screw, and topping out at 64 mph, the Des Moines Area Community College commit struck out 17 in her 10.1 innings of work. Canny effectively changed speed, showed glove side run on her rise, and ran her curve away from lefties, and into righties, in giving up five hits and two base on balls, without allowing an earned run, finishing with a 0.00 ERA and 0.68 WHIP.
Ellie Tague (2028 North Liberty, IA) is a RHP for Premier Fastpitch IL-18u Jones/Evans, who made her way onto the top performers list for the second week in a row. Tague, utilizing a deliberate motion and delivery, closes the distance to the batter with a leap in her drive phase. With a five pitch mix of fastball, change-up, rise, drop and curve, Tague worked 10 innings and sat down 17 via strike out. While topping out at 58 mph, Tague worked her rise just out of the top of the zone, and her curve, with late movement sliding off the plate, with both resulting in several swing and miss attempts. Tague did allow 10 hits and walked two batters, but was able to work out of any jams and did not give up an earned run, finishing with a 0.00 ERA and 1.20 WHIP.
Other notable performances for the weekend included……..
Chloe Ledford (2026 East Moline, IL) playing for Lady Hitmen 18u Crawford, made the most of her four hits by putting on a power display, connecting for three bombs and collecting seven rbi’s.
Camden Webb (2028 Prairie City, IA) topped out at 62 mph, while striking out six in her four innings of work, to help Iowa Gold Prospects move into the championship final.
Kyla Schulte (2026 Amana, IA) of tournament champion Nebraska Gold 319 Berning, collected five hits and showed serious pull-side power with three home runs.