Get on board with Line Drive Media’s regular feature, The Final Pitch!

We are scouring the Internet and Social Media and keeping our ears to the street for the latest going on in the softball community.

To contribute information, insights, thoughts or content ideas, email us at carlos.arias@linedrivemedia.com, DM at @los_stuff on Twitter or text (949) 606-3602.

Here’s our TFP for Monday, Nov. 4, 2024:

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THE FINAL PITCH: AUDREY BLAIR

Central Arkansas-committed 2025 MIF/3B Audrey Blair recently talked to Line Drive Media about Top Gun National AR, PGF Nationals, Power Surge, coming from a small town, college softball knowledge, Central Arkansas, pediatric physical therapist, math, Delaney Spaulding, Holocaust literature, Jay-Z, “Criminal Minds” and “The Hunger Games” series.

THE FINAL PITCH Q&A

Name: Audrey Blair

Hometown: Marshall, AR

High School: Marshall High

Club Team: Top Gun 18U National AR

Graduation Year: 2025

Height: 5-9

Position/s: MIF/2B

Nickname: “Audy B.” This nickname was given to me by one of my 10U coaches and it has stuck ever since.

Social Media: @blair2025 on Twitter

Honors: Two-time All-Conference Volleyball and Basketball, three-time All-Conference Softball and two-time All-State Volleyball and Softball.

High School Spring Stats: .533 AVG, .685 OBP and 38 runs.

Travel Ball Summer 2024 Stats: .434 AVG, .566 OBP and 60 runs.

Tell us about your travel team/organization and how you became involved with them? I started doing lessons with my head coach Marty Rhodes even before I started travel ball in 2016. He started Top Gun Arkansas in the fall of 2019 and I have played on this team ever since.

Tell us about your experience at PGF Nationals? We didn’t go to PGF Nationals last summer, but we went the summer before that. I feel like we competed well!

Which player/team has been your toughest opponent and why? In 10U my team, (I) played Power Surge. That game was definitely a wake-up call and I’ll definitely never forget it!

What have you faced/overcome in life that has made you the person you are today? Coming from a small town has definitely been something that I’ve had to overcome. No one really plays softball from where I am from. We traveled multiple hours a week to just play league ball and even more once we started travel ball. I’ve learned to embrace it over time and be proud of where I am from!

We hear you can name every college player by name and team. Is that true and where did that come from? This is true! When I first started watching College Softball, I loved watching the Florida Gators and specifically watching Kelly Barnhill pitch. I watched every single one of their games on YouTube and when there wasn’t a new one to watch, I would rewatch one or pick the first one that popped up. Somehow, I just started remembering everyone’s name, team and where they play.

STAYING HOME! 💜🐻 🤍
I'm so excited to announce my commitment to the University of Central Arkansas! BEAR CLAWS UP!@UCASoftball @CoachJenParsons @CoachLucas_ @kdself18 @jays_johnson @CoachMartyR @Spects_CoachP @topgunfastpitch @BTurner_75 pic.twitter.com/CXIXnWznA1

— Audrey Blair 2025 (@blair2025) October 5, 2023

Why did you choose to commit to Central Arkansas? I chose Central Arkansas for many reasons. I love the coaches, players and the campus. It’s also very close to my hometown, so my family will be able to come watch my games. Another plus is that my sister is a freshman this year, so I’ll get to be with her next year!

What areas are you interested in future occupations and why? I plan on becoming a pediatric physical therapist after college because I love working with kids. I also hope to stay around the game and either give lessons or become a coach!

What’s your favorite subject to study in school and why? Math is by far my favorite. I actually enjoy doing most things in math!

Who is your sports hero and why? My sports hero is Delaney Spaulding from UCLA. (Spaulding, a former All-American at UCLA and Olympic silver medalist) is where I got #99 from because she also played shortstop and I loved watching her play.

What’s your favorite book to read and why? My favorite book is any book about the Holocaust.

What’s the best hype song and why? My favorite song is “Run This Town” (by Jay-Z feat. Rihanna, Kanye West) because it was an inside joke from our basketball team and we listened to it all the time.

What’s your favorite TV show to binge and why? My favorite TV show to binge watch is “Criminal Minds” because I love crime shows.

What’s your favorite movie and why? My favorite movie is any “The Hunger Games” movie.

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The Arizona Fall Invitational in Scottsdale/Phoenix, AZ, draws many of the top programs on the West Coast. This weekend was no different. Here’s what some of the coaches in attendance had to say:

ARIZONA FALL INVITATIONAL REPORT

Back from sunny (& rainy) Arizona - celebrating some standout performances at the @TeamNJSoftball Invite. Big thanks to @brooke_mannon for the guest coaching help!

Next up - @HFLfastpitch Fall Championships in St. Louis NOV 8-10 @LineDsoftball @ExtraInningSB @tagupSoftball… pic.twitter.com/JoRppc5VN0

— Indiana Magic Gold National Bennett/Goddard 16U (@IMG08BenGod) November 4, 2024

Jeff Goddard of Indiana Magic Gold-Bennett Goddard, whose team went 5-1 in its pool:

What was your biggest takeaway from the Arizona Fall Invitational? This was our first time attending the AZ Invite and we are glad we (went). We came out West to play against the best teams and programs in the country because almost all of the teams attending will be in the championship brackets next summer (the teams we played in AZ have a .700 winning percentage so far this fall). It did not disappoint — the Team NJ organizers did a fantastic job and brought in a bunch of top college coaches. The fields were great and kept pristine after every game and we had three excellent umpires each game.

We had a perfect start with (Virginia Tech-committed 2025 RHP) Grace Swedarsky and (uncommitted 2026 RHP) Chelsea Bennett combining to throw a 6-inning Perfect game vs. Corona Angels-(Tyson 16U), winning 6-0 (their only loss on the weekend). That was followed by a tough game vs. Corona Angles-Slye (16U), but (2027 P/SS) Jenna Mannon came through with a walk-off three-run HR to get us off to a 2-0 start. We finished up, 5-1, winning our pool with impressive performances all around. Our kids got a heavy dose of top California and Texas teams, which will get them ready for next summer.

Team Stats: 5-1 on the weekend, won our pool, outscored opponents, 40-14, we had a team OPS of 1.00 (22 percent of our hits were XBH) and our pitchers combined for a .209 BAA.

Which player made the biggest impact on your team for the tournament? (2026 P/SS) Jenna Mannon had a stellar weekend in the circle and at the plate with a .000 ERA, .673 WHIP and a .095 BAA. She crushed it at the plate with a solo HR, a walk-off three-run HR and a grand slam. (Virginia Tech-committed 2025 RHP) Grace Swedarsky also compiled a 0.00 ERA, .273 WHIP and a .028 BA, striking out 47 percent of the batters she faced.

(Uncommitted 2026 1B/OF) Baylee Huth led the way for us at the plate with a .600 AVG (.800 w/RISP), 1.392 OPS, a double, 7 RBIs (six with two outs) and 0 Ks. (Uncommitted 2026 MIF/UT) Hadley West had a .545 AVG, 1.252 OPS, a double and two SBs. (2027 MIF/OF) Ellie Goddard had a .462 AVG, 1.149 OPS, two doubles and seven runs. (2027 C/3B) Madi Wainwright had a .455 AVG, 1.236 OPS, a triple and an SB. (Uncommitted 2026 SS/1B/OF) Natalie Hester was solid all weekend with a .429 AVG, two RBIs and three runs. (Uncommitted 2026 OF) Kayla Benthall led off for us all weekend and posted a .400 AVG, 1.071 OPS, a HR, three RBIs, six runs and six SBs. She also made several SportsCenter-worthy plays in the OF.

Do you have an uncommitted player we should highlight, that people around the country should know about? Focusing on our uncommitted 2026s, there are several impact players that many more colleges should be going after:

(2026 OF) Kayla Benthall or “KB” set the table for us this weekend at the AZ Invite, leading off and achieving a .471 OBP. She scored six runs and added six SBs. KB is electric with her speed and should definitely be on P4 short lists. AZ Invite Stats (6 Games): .400 AVG, 1.071 OPS, HR, 6 runs, 7 SBs. Fall Stats (23 Games): .434 AVG, 1.039 OPS, 3 XBH, 27 runs, 23 SBs.

(2026 1B/OF) Baylee Huth or “B” stands an intimidating 6-feet tall, but plays the game like a 5-5 MIF. She is super strong, hitting lasers and rarely striking out (2 Ks in 49 PA so far this fall). In the field, she has a huge catch radius at 1B and also can track balls down in the OF. AZ Invite Stats (6 Games): .600 AVG (.800 w/RISP), 1.392 OPS, a double, 7 RBIs (6 with 2 outs) and 0 Ks.

(2026 SS/1B/OF) Natalie Hester is a speedy, wide-ranging SS, who also loves to play 1B and can track down balls in the OF. At the plate, Natalie hits for power and average and is a legit 5-tool player. AZ Invite Stats (6 Games): .429 AVG, SAC Fly, 1.071 OPS, HR, 6 runs, 7 SBs.

(2026 MIF/3B/OF) Hadley West is a versatile player, who locks down 3B/2B for us and plays a great OF also. AZ Invite Stats (6 Games): .545 AVG, 1.252 OPS, a double, 2 runs, 3 RBIs, 2 SBs and a 1.00 fielding percentage.

And for anyone still looking for a 2026 Pitcher or Catcher, (2026 6-foot RHP) Sophia Cain and (2026 RHP) Chelsea Bennett are great options in the circle and (2026 C/1B/3B) Haley Schatko is a stud behind the dish.

Which player (from another team) most impressed you and why? (2029 P/1B) Olivia Chen from OC Batbusters-Stith did a good job in the circle and she went 3 for 3 at the plate against us.

Which team most impressed you and why? Both Corona Angels-Tyson and -Slye have solid squads that can put up runs in bunches and keep teams in check from the circle. They play downhill and are fun opponents.

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Mike Smith of Cruiser Fastpitch-Smith, whose team went 3-1 in its pool:

What was your biggest takeaway from the Arizona Fall Invitational? The biggest takeaway for me: They don’t always get the credit they deserve, but I thought the umpire crews were very good. Whomever assembled the group of umpires we had deserves some credit. The crews that we had on our games took their jobs seriously, but they didn’t take themselves too seriously. We could have a “conversation” about a call and walk away smiling.

Other aspects about the tournament we thought stood out were:

*Number of college coaches in attendance.

*Balance of competition. Thought the game schedule coordinators did a good jump of making the competition “apples to apples.”

*Back-to-back games and two games per day format with no game breaks, but having 15 to 20 minutes in between games was perfect to write your next lineup, bathroom break, quick snack and get the fields re-chalked and dragged.

*Field locations in the Scottsdale area were well-situated and in close proximity to each other. All of our families loved the Scottsdale area.

If one suggestion for next year: If the travel coaches could be given a list of college coaches who attended the previous year, so that we could at least reach out and ask them if they’re coming this time.

Which player made the biggest impact on your team for the tournament? (Uncommitted 2025 1B) Gabby Merced was one of our offensive standouts besides playing a solid 1B as well. After starting a little sluggish, Gabby found her timing and finished our last four games, going 5 for 7 with a HR, three doubles while driving in three RBIs and scoring two runs.

On defense, (2027 C) Frida Patterson was outstanding behind the dish handling our pitching staff and throwing out would-be base stealers or back-picking runners off of 3B a couple of times. And to top it off, she hit a grand slam to help us grab a 6-6 tie in our last at-bat of our final game of the AZ Invitation to cap off our weekend. Frida’s nickname is “Chef” and the Chef was definitely Cooking.

Which player (from another team) most impressed you and why? It’s hard to single out just one player from another team that necessarily stood out to me. Especially, without knowing their names, because we didn’t exchange lineup cards for these games. There was a (2026) 3B (Molly Seedorf) for the Colorado Batbusters (National-Smith Black 18U) team we played that was a baller.

Which team most impressed you and why? The team that got my attention was the KB Fastpitch team out of Washington state. They were the first team we played and our paths kept crossing and their coaching staff and ours seemed to jell right from the start. They beat us in a tight game that ended in a walk-off. But that tough game helped propel us to go and win our next three in a row.

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Mike Rogers of USA Athletics Gold-Rogers, whose team went 5-1 in its pool:

Which player made the biggest impact on your team for the tournament? (2027 RHP) Isabella Gonzalez, (2026 C) Gabby DeBennedditto, (2026 OF) Charlotte White, (Grand Canyon-committed 2025 OF) Izzy Ruda, (Oregon State-committed 2025 RHP) Bailey Murray, (New Mexico-committed 2025 RHP) Alyssa Hensgen, (2026 SS) Nadia Ledon (and) (2026 3B/IF) Abby Luis (10 RBIs).

Which player (from another team) most impressed you and why? #22 on Corona Angels-Tyson: (UCLA-committed 2026 MIF/3B (Bri Alejandre).

Which team most impressed you and why? 18U Corona Angels-Tyson — power and speed, great pitching. 18U (OC Batbusters)-Stith — great defensive and comeback game vs. AZ Rise.

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Mike Stith of OC Batbusters-Stith, whose team went 5-0-1 in its pool:

What was your biggest takeaway from the Arizona Fall Invitational? Great facility in Scottsdale and always hosted well by Jim Barsalona and Team NJ.

Which player made the biggest impact on your team for the tournament? (2027 OF) Mattea Stern had a strong weekend for us (batting .417). (Oklahoma-committed 2025 OF) Kai Minor batted .727 this weekend.

Which team most impressed you and why? Arizona Rising(-Appel) is a real good team

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NEWS & NOTES

***HFL Fall Championships/Alliance Super Cup Central Qualifier are Nov. 8-10 in Chesterfield/Eureka, MO. Follow the tournament online HERE.

***Alliance Super Cup Southwest Qualifier is Nov. 9-10 in Lake Elsinore/Perris/Chino Hills, CA. Follow the tournament online HERE

***Bombers Exposure Weekend is Nov. 8-10 in Houston area, TX. Follow the tournament online HERE.

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SIGNING/COMMITMENT ALERTS

Amira Forbit (2026, IF, Glory Adkins Gold/Wylie High, TX, Southwestern Oklahoma State)

Blessed to have an opportunity to play at the next level for Southeastern Oklahoma State University! Thank you to my coaches, family, and friends who have supported me on my softball journey!🤍💙💛 @ADKINSGOLD16U @texasgloryadkin @RangersYA @TopPreps @AHMOSoftball @Los_Stuff… pic.twitter.com/5D92UFy7O2

— Amira Forbit 2026 Student-Athlete (@amira_forbit) November 2, 2024

Ryleigh Kiel (2026, OF/MIF, Beverly Bandits Premier-Trackwell/Meredith/Glenwood High, IL, Penn State)

I am extremely excited and honored to announce I verbally committed to continue my academic and athletic career at Penn State University.
It has been a dream of mine since I was young to play D1 softball. Thank you Coach Crowell, Coach Mysha, Coach Baggetta, and Coach Lex for… pic.twitter.com/zsw08vh35O

— Ryleigh Kiel 2026 (@RyleighKiel) November 3, 2024

Presley Rivers (2026, C/3B, Glory Adkins Gold/LD Bell High, TX, Michigan State)

I’m excited to announce that I have committed to continue my education and play softball at Michigan State University. This opportunity means the world to me, and I can’t wait to grow both as an athlete and as a student. A huge Thank you to Coach Sho and her staff for welcoming… pic.twitter.com/wS4SqF8rJj

— Presley Rivers (@presleyrivers1) November 2, 2024

Sydney Hogue (2025, 3B/1B/OF, I-5 Snyder/Chaminade High, CA, George Washington)

I am very excited to announce my commitment to George Washington University! I wanted to thank Coach Jared and Coach Kyle for being with me through this process. Also, thank you to @CSchoony11 @fister_t and @jordan_gontram for this opportunity! RAISE HIGH! 💙💛@I5Softball pic.twitter.com/tNPJtI7t35

— Sydney Hogue (@SydneyHogue2025) November 4, 2024

Payton Feeney (2026, RHP/B, Mystics National-Garrett/Springfield High, PA, Marist College)

GO RED FOXES! 🦊 @MaristSoftball @ExYank54 @kristinerb4 @alyssaagrupp @BlackCatFP @Mystics_Nat_Gar @bgcatching pic.twitter.com/zriWN2dkdV

— Payton Feeney (@pfeeney2026) November 4, 2024

Marin Prest (2025, C/UT, Bombers Elite Premier/Pilgrim High, RI, Marist College)

I’d like to announce my official commitment to Umass Boston!!! I love the Coaches, Team, and Campus and I knew it was where I wanted to spend the next 4 years immediately. Thank you @CoachArdagna and @CoachBartley for this amazing opportunity! #BleedBlue @BeaconSB @BombersElite pic.twitter.com/trBtMhaosV

— Marin Prest (@MarinPrest2025) November 3, 2024

Gabby Cuellar (2026, OF/1B, Titans Softball/Bryon Nelson High, TX, Maryville)

God is so good!! Go Saints 🐶❤️#committed @dtitanssoftball @MUSaintsSB @ChaninLuz @CoachKBSwan @BNHS_Softball @Coach_Buettner pic.twitter.com/qVv9xyk1UY

— Gabby Cuellar (@GabbyCuellar7) November 4, 2024

Trinity Chittamai (2026, RHP/UT, 2026 Texas Glory/Midlothian Heritage High, TX, Abilene Christian)

Looks like I'm a Wildcat!! #ACU#Committed @coachkoons @KenedyHines @coachwagner_ @alyssaolivia24 @TexasGlory @TexasGlory2026 @HHSJagSoftball @ACU_Softball pic.twitter.com/NozjwKBUZh

— Trinity Chittamai (@CHityElite) November 2, 2024

Paige Garetson (2025, LHP/OF, Top Gun 07 National AR, Union)

Can’t wait for the next four with these girls!! Go Bulldogs! ❤️🖤 pic.twitter.com/tWaaktyoU8

— Paige Garetson (@PaigeGaretson) November 3, 2024

Genevieve “Gigi” Payne (2026, UT, Virginia Glory-Hills/Bishop O’Connell High, MD, St. Bonaventure)

I am so happy to announce I am #committed to play #Division1 #softball in the #Atlantic10 conference at St.Bonaventure University! #GoBonnies @Coach3House @DiPhal @NCAASoftball @DJOSoftball @VAGlory_Hills @SSN_Softball @MaxPreps @UWAA_United @SBRRetweets @los_stuff… pic.twitter.com/DXC0JfkDrO

— Geneviève “Gigi” Payne 2026 (@GigiPayne2026) November 1, 2024

Olivia Hurtado (2025, MIF/3B/UT, AASA-Mortimer/Freedom High, CA, Cal Poly Humboldt)

I am so excited to announce that I have verbally committed to Cal Poly Humboldt to continue my academic and athletic career! Thank you God for blessing me with this opportunity and for placing me in my next home for 4 years. To my parents, I cannot thank you enough for all the… pic.twitter.com/zWPQYvLvQ1

— Olivia Hurtado 2025 (@OliviaHurtado25) November 1, 2024

Brianna Nelson (2025, OF/UT, Texas Sudden Impact-Oglesby/Livingston High, TX, Navarro College)

Officially a @NCDAWGSSoftball Bulldawg!! Had so much fun today meeting all my new teammates!! Thanks Coach K, Coach @tunnell_wesley and Coach Barbee for the awesome day! Also, thanks to all my family and friends who came out to support me! I can’t wait to be on campus!… pic.twitter.com/xw0S99Gbim

— Brianna Nelson (@Brinelson017) November 4, 2024

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HSOTD

Today’s Hype Song of the Day is …

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BTITW

Today’s Best Thing In The World is …

Oz when he saw the bombs in the car #ThePenguin pic.twitter.com/ce94QDbPeg

— Anthony🦃but thankful🦃 (@Tohneee) November 4, 2024

— Carlos Arias, Line Drive Media (Follow Carlos on Twitter @los_stuff)