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 Thursday, July 24, 2025:

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THE FINAL PITCH: MIKAYLA FINN

Uncommitted 2027 LHP Mikayla Finn recently talked to Line Drive Media about Lady Magic-Munoz, PGF Nationals, helping her team win the recent Colorado National Power Pool 16U co-championship, California players, increasing pitch speed, Athletics Mercado-Tidd, overcoming injury, future college, college camps, business, English, NiJaree Canady, “The Hunger Games,” 2Pac, “Gilmore Girls,” “Dumb and Dumber” and tongue tricks.

THE FINAL PITCH Q&A

Name: Mikayla Finn

Hometown: Auburn, CA

High School: Del Oro High

Club Team: Lady Magic-Munoz 16U

Graduation Year: 2027

Height: 5-7

Position/s: LHP

Nickname: “Micky.” My teammates from a previous team started calling me “Micky.”

Social Media: @mikaylafinn_27 on Instagram and @mikaylafinn_27 on Twitter

Honors: Underclass All-American by MaxPreps (2025), 1st Team All-League (2025) and Colorado Sparkler National Power Pool 16U co-champion (2025).

Travel Ball Summer 2024 Stats: 2.90 ERA, 86 IP and 85 strikeouts.

Travel Ball Fall 2024 Stats: 1.30 ERA, 58 IP and 42 strikeouts.

High School Spring 2025 Stats: 1.13 ERA, 148 IP and 210 strikeouts.

Travel Ball Summer 2025 Stats (So Far): 4.40 ERA, 53 IP and 47 strikeouts.

Tell us about your travel team/organization and how you became involved with them? The Magic org is a very competitive and hard-working program and I became involved with the Munoz 16U team last fall. Before I joined the org, I had played their team many times and they had always proved to be a challenge to play and win against. I wanted to be a part of a team that would make me a better player and I couldn’t have chosen a better team for me to achieve that goal. This team has surrounded me with outstanding talent that has only made me thrive.

Tell us about your experience at PGF Nationals? I have not been on the Munoz roster for a PGF Nationals tournament, yet, but in my previous experiences, I haven’t made it relatively far in bracket play. I look forward to a memorable PGF Nationals with the Munoz team this year.

Can you talk about helping your team win a 16U co-championship at the recent Triple Crown Colorado 4th of July? I had thrown the previous game before the championship game and with another teammate starting on the mound for the ship, I tried my best to be as loud of a voice as I could in the dugout and lead as many cheers as possible because I know how important talk is in this game. And although our game wasn’t able to be finished due to weather, I’m very proud of my team for persevering through the countless games we played over our two weeks in Colorado and making it to the last game of the tournament.

What makes players from the state of California special? There is a large amount of softball players in California and what makes California players so special is the countless (hours of) work they have to put in to get recognized among those many players.

What was your biggest focus in the offseason? My biggest focus in the offseason was to increase the speed of my pitches.

Which player/team has been your toughest opponent and why? The team that has been our toughest opponent is Athletics Mercado-Tidd. We have played them many times, including before I was on the team, and we always battle it out every time we play. My team has a very strong offense and something that Athletics has that makes it tough is that they also have a strong offense, so as a pitcher, I know that my job is to limit as many free bases as possible to limit unearned runs.

What have you faced/overcome in life that has made you the person you are today? I had a back injury two years ago and was out for four months of the summer season. At that point, I didn’t know how much I loved the game anymore and during that time of being hurt I had a lot of time to reflect. My time off made me realize how much I loved the game and I’m grateful for my injury because without it there is a very good chance that I would have become burnt out of softball.

What are you looking for in a future college? I am looking for a place where I can see myself thrive through softball, but also academically. I won’t play softball forever and receiving an amazing education that will lead on to my future career is a very important deal for me.

What college camps have you attended and are you planning to attend and why? I have attended college camps at Cal state Fullerton, Clemson, University of Michigan, University of Florida and University of Washington. I plan to attend a camp at University of Georgia in August and (I) am very excited and grateful that I have the ability and family to make these camps possible for me.

What areas are you interested in future occupations and why? I have always been drawn to occupations relating to business and jobs in that field. There is a wide amount of jobs to choose from with a business degree and the opportunities that come with that excite me.

What’s your favorite subject to study in school and why? My favorite school subject is English because I love writing and using my words and vocabulary to explain or argue things I care deeply about.

Who is your sports hero and why? My sports hero is NiJaree Canady (a two-time 1st Team All-American and two-time NFCA National Pitcher of the Year for Stanford and Texas Tech). It was amazing to watch her lead Texas tech this year to the WCWS and she is such a confident player that I look up too.

What’s your favorite book to read and why? My favorite book to read is “The Hunger Games” (by Suzanne Collins). I don’t know why, but any dystopian novel … I am hooked on.

What’s the best hype song and why? The best hype song is definitely “All Eyez on Me” by 2Pac because it will always get me pumped up and feeling confident for an important game.

What’s your favorite TV show to binge and why? My favorite TV show to binge is “Gilmore Girls” because the relationship Lorelei and Rory have reminds me of the relationship my mom (and I) have.

What’s your favorite movie and why? My favorite movie is “Dumb and Dumber” because it never fails to make me laugh and I’ve seen it enough times that I have the lines memorized.

Do you have a secret talent/skill? I can touch my tongue to my nose.

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NEWS & NOTES

***PGF Nationals for 18U Premier/18UPlatinum/16U Premier/16U Platinum will be held July 19-26 in Orange County, CA. To follow the tournament online, CLICK HERE.

***Alliance Fastpitch Championship Series (AFCS) for 18U/16U will be held July 20-27 in Kokomo, IN. To follow the tournament online, CLICK HERE.

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SIGNING/COMMITMENT ALERTS

Emma Williamson (2025, RHP, IL Force National/Christ Our Rock Lutheran High, IL, Eastern Illinois)

🔏 It’s official! Welcome to EIU, Emma! #Rollthers #25Class 🐾🥎💙 pic.twitter.com/LtguK6TGD7

— Eastern Illinois Softball (@EIU_Softball) November 14, 2024

Adysen Rios (2025, MIF, Heartland Havoc/St. Anthony High, IL, Eastern Illinois)

🔏 It’s official! Welcome to EIU, Adysen! #Rollthers #25Class 🐾🥎💙 pic.twitter.com/ekMNQAKs7T

— Eastern Illinois Softball (@EIU_Softball) November 14, 2024

Viola Smith (2025, IF, Extreme Elite National/Jefferson High, IL, Eastern Illinois)

🔏 It’s official! Welcome to EIU, Viola! #Rollthers #25Class 🐾🥎💙 pic.twitter.com/KFSXSwjMAP

— Eastern Illinois Softball (@EIU_Softball) November 13, 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 …

The Thing shaving his beard in ‘THE FANTASTIC FOUR’ pic.twitter.com/sLoeAOumLX

— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) July 20, 2025

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