When asked to describe softball sensation Renae Cunningham in just two words, much like trying to hit her pitching, it becomes a tough task. Some may choose the words “Gentle Giant” given her stature and humility. Some may be more straightforward and use “Great Player”. Her head coach Cray Allen, of the Beverly Bandits – Allen, liked the words “Controlled, Calculated”.
“Her approach is always a calm one. It seems like the moment is never too big for her, which allows her teammates to feed off that quiet confidence,” said Allen. “The way she goes about her game is such a blessing in today’s world of highs and lows. She never gets rattled and stays calm and focused through each situation.”
In a day and age of the never ending selfie and self promotion, the way Cunningham carries herself on the field is refreshing. Even Cunningham admits, “I’m a pretty simple person.”
Some leaders use their voice. Some lead by example. And, some lead using their actions. Very rarely do you find a leader who does all three, but Alyssa Hastings isn’t just any type of ballplayer.
Hastings, a sophomore sensation who plays shortstop for the Tennessee Fury [Premier 2022] U18 squad, is hard to miss. She’s typically the first player out on the infield grass, the first player at practice, and one of the last players to go home. Her work ethic and softball IQ, at just 16 years of age, is off-the-charts.
For all of her special softball gifts – the quick hands, smooth glove, the patient approach at the plate, incredible bat control – it is her team first approach that stands out above all else.
Alyssa Hastings 2023 Fury Premier 2022 Moyer Game Changer
Moriah Polar dominates the plate as a “triple-threat slapper where a single is always a double,” according to her coach, Steve Jones, with Impact Gold National 16U in Pearland, Texas. She leads the team in on-base percentage (OBP) and stolen bases and “she covers ground like no other player I’ve seen – she has crazy range.”
“Not only is she over the top athletically gifted and has honed her skill set to be one of the best in the country; she is also one of the primary heartbeats of this team.” Polar is ranked as the No. 3 outfielder and tied for No. 27 overall in the 2023 class, according to Fastpitch Network.
Jones has coached Polar since she was 5-years old. He smiles as he remembers her out in the field with her little pink glove. She probably didn’t gracefully catch every ball that was hit to her back then – in fact Jones chuckles that she hardly caught a ball – but Jones loved her overall athleticism and how coachable and eager she was to learn. “What I saw was a kid that tracked the balls and a kid that was willing to do anything I asked.” Polar has been his lead-off hitter since she was 7-years old.
But instead of being a flash in the pan, the team continued to grow, continued to compete and develop. Mojo-Danley won the 12u PGF title in 2018 and is currently one of the most notable and potent first-year 16u teams in the country.
Mojo 2023 Coach Michael Danley Rallying the Troops
Savanna Bedell has all the ingredients of an elite level athlete – speed, power, and strength. These defining characteristics coupled with her fiery personality and passion for the game set her apart from others in the field.
Bedell is a power-hitting outfielder ranked as 23rd overall (tie) and No. 2 for outfielders in the class of 2023 prospects by Fastpitch Network.
“What stands out about Savanna is anytime, in any situation, when she is at the plate, you just know that anything is possible,” states Stacy Tamborra, head coach for the 16U Atlanta Vipers Gold.
Many hitters have stepped into the box and underestimated Bronwyn Borden.
And many of them have slumped back to the dugout, shaking their head after an unsuccessful at-bat.
There’s more to Borden than meets the eye. She stands an unassuming 5-foot-3 in the pitcher’s circle, but has never let her size deter her from raising her stock as a Class of 2023 prospect.
Bronwyn Borden 2023 Prospex Fastpitch
“I definitely go out there and give 110% because I do want to show people that just because I’m small doesn’t mean I can’t throw hard and be really good,” Borden said.
Borden is a three-sport athlete at Brewer High School in Alabama and has played with the Prospex softball organization for the last five years.
As a pitcher, Borden said her curveball and her changeup are her two best pitchers, and she tops out around 62 miles per hour. The key for a pitcher her size is using her whole body to get the desired effect on her pitches.
“I try to make sure I drive with my legs,” she said.
When a hitter does make her pay for a mistake, a circumstance becoming less and less common, the mental toughness already required of someone of her stature translates into the ability to quickly move on and not dwell on things.
Bronwyn Borden considers the pitch for a new batter
“I just try to wash it away and think next batter,” she said.
Matt Adams, who runs the Prospex program, called Borden a hard worker who plays well beyond her size.
“She can beat you in the circle multiple ways,” Adams said. “She has a very good changeup that she can throw in any count. But what makes her tough is she can also throw it by you with good velocity and late movement.”
Borden can also play outfield or middle infield when not in the circle, but she has earned the respect of dozens of hitters who have stepped in the batter’s box and presumed an easy hit was coming.
Bronwyn Borden Delivers
“I definitely think that I’ve grown a lot in the past year or so,” she said. “I’ve gotten a lot better, but I still have a long way to go. I feel like I can do so much more if I just keep working.”
Part of that growth is in her knowledge of the game, which is in the upper echelon of players her age.
“She is not a pitcher who just throws what is called from the dugout or by the catcher,” Adams said. “She really does understand why she throws certain pitches in particular counts and situations. She is smart above her age.”
Borden recently became part of the National Scouting Report (NSR) database and she has been pleasantly surprised with the interest her profile has garnered in such a short time.
“It’s very exciting, because with my NSR profile, it really makes me feel better and makes me think I have potential to be recruited,” Borden said.
Bronwyn Borden entered in National Scouting Report (NSR)
Borden’s recruiting process will in essence begin in September, when college coaches are permitted to contact her during her junior year. She knows some schools will not look past the surface of her measurables, but she is trusting in herself and the strides she makes daily to get better.
“I faced the fact that this is just how I was born,” she said. “I definitely try to always work hard, because my time will come. Somebody will notice me if I keep working.”
You won’t catch Borden without a smile on her face and she strives to be an encouraging and uplifting player with any team she plays on.
“She is a great kid who is one of the hardest working kids you will find. She is a student of the game, which is hard to find in most players,” Adams said.
Rodney Robeson and Ron Pezzoni were just a couple guys who wanted to teach the game of fastpitch softball game the right way.
The duo connected in 2013, and in less than a decade since, they have been the catalysts in building the Turnin2 club organization into one beginning to earn national notoriety.
The organization has grown into having 26 teams, the most at any point in its history. Turnin2 is based in Brighton, Michigan, about 30 miles north of Ann Arbor.
High 5 From the On-Deck Batter After a Turnin 2 Home Run
How Ray Seymour left a Legacy for a new Generation of Successors.
by Ryan Greenwood – Fastpitch Network
This year will mark the 40th anniversary for the Tampa Mustangs travel softball organization. It is one of the oldest and most successful organizations on the national stage. Since the summer of 1981, the club has won 27 National Championships in each of the age divisions and had over 400 players to go on to play college softball at over 60 different colleges.
Founder Ray Seymour, who passed away in 2016 at the age of 72, and his wife, Cathy, started the travel softball organization to give local girls an opportunity to continue to play competitively at a high level after their local recreational leagues were finished. They were the first travel softball team on the West Coast of Florida.
The organization also established playing with good sportsmanship, developing their teams to play on a national level, preparing their players for college recruiting, and learning to win and lose with class.
