The fact that WC Yates’s Team NC – Yates/Lingle squad is 16-5-2 this summer is impressive enough.

The fact that it’s come in elite events such as Show Me The Money (4-2-1), Super Grand (4-1-1) and the Scenic City Super Pool (8-2) makes it doubly impressive.

But when you consider how this offensive juggernaut has averaged over five wins per tournament will make your jaw drop.

Last weekend, Team NC – Yates/Lingle finished in the Top 4 at Scenic City as the team batted a stellar .409 with 79 hits, 88 runs scored and an incredible 17 home runs, including nine by Anleigh Wood alone!

Whatever they’re feeding these athletes in the the Florida Panhandle where they’re from – the team has players from Alabama, Florida and Georgia –  I’ll have some please.

Four other players also smacked dingers including KJ Spann with four, Parker Stubbs (USA Upstate) with a pair and one each by Taylor Kincaid (Georgia Southwestern State commit and No. 6 in Florida with most RBIs) and Ava Secor (Univ. of West Florida)).

What has led to this onslaught on opposing pitching?

“Our team transitioned from 18U after the summer to 16U,” Coach Yeates explains, “and we added Mike Lingle—who’s the former head coach at College of Central Florida—to our staff.”

“We boosted the roster and the schedule by playing in more of the larger showcases and tournaments in the Southeast including Ray Seymour, Show Me the Money in Newberry and Atlanta.”

“And I have to thank Kevin Hinde with Team North Carolina who has been a pleasure to work alongside with and has given us the organization backing needing the help us get to where we are today.”

*****

The Perfect Merger of a Former College Head Coach & An Upgraded Roster

The combination of a stronger roster and a former college head coach led to immediate success almost immediately.

Team NC – Yates/Lingle went 14-3-1 last fall and, by the time Christmas and New Year’s rolled around, all the 2027’s on the roster were committed—including three players to D1 schools.”

Coach Yates gives more insights into how this 16U team became a powerhouse seemingly overnight.

“We are very aggressive and geared towards recruiting,” Yates adds. “We keep our roster small and take the best we can so each player gets the most opportunities to showcase what they can do.”

“Coach Lingle has brought years of college coaching experience, and it has paid dividends to the win-loss record and also helped improve the development in each player.”

Coach Yates wears the hats of managing the team and overseeing recruiting. Impressively, Team NC has a 100 percent commit rate at this point.

“We work very hard for our players and very rarely do we see players leave,” the head man explains. “We have two 2028’s that are absolutely killing it now and are some of the best players in the Class of 2028 along with a 2027 in Stubbs who gives us a standout trio of hitters.

*****

The Dangerous Trio of Power Hitters

KJ Spann (3B, 2028)

An example of that loyalty is shown by Spann, who has been with Yates and his program since 12U and is a two-time Georgia Player of the Year.

“The kid is an absolute beast!” her coach marvels. “She has remained loyal and committed and helped us move as team to where we are today. We have consistently built a team around her and it’s also helped us as a team to grow.”

Anleigh Wood (C/3B, 2028)

Another star on the rise is Wood, who crushed the nine homers last week, but that’s just a continuation of what she did in the high school ranks this spring as she hit 27 home runs and led the nation until the final week of the season.

She was awarded Alabama 3A Hitter of the Year for her tremendous season and is a two-time state champion and a three-time All-State honoree for Wicksburg High in Newton, Ala.

Parker Stubbs (IF, 2027)

Stubbs, who is committed to USC Upstate, was named the Florida 3A Player of the Year after a tremendous season at Wakulla (Crawfordville, Fla.) High which saw her bat .489 with a .565 on-base percentage.

She also had 45 hits including 15 home runs with 45 RBIs and just this week was also named as the Big Bend Co-Player of the Year.

Stubbs has teamed with Spann and Wood to produce a formidable trio that Coach Yates says: “Is hard to handle together in the lineup.”

*****

The Pitching is Strong Too

Last weekend at Scenic City, the pitching corps was tough to deal with, too, recording 45 strikeouts.

• Emily Thompson, a 2027 lefty named 1sst Team all-Lake County and a Georgia State commit, led the way in K’s with 24.
• Jayci Mapes, a 2027 lefty and  West Georgia commit who plays with Stubbs at Wakulla High, had 14 strikeouts. She was named 1st Tem Big Bend as well.
• Ryleigh “Chucky” Davis, a 2028 right-handed who added seven K’s and is complimented by Coach Yates who adds: “Ryleigh has come in and contributed greatly as a new addition to the team.”

*****

Other Standout Contributors

Other notables on the roster who’ve shined this year include:

• Mahri Lingle, a 2028 second baseman/outfielder who was Marion County Player of the Year,
• Jaiden Prestipino, a 2028 catcher/third baseman who both play at Forest High (Ocala, Fla.) and won a District Championship together,
• Ava Rathel, a 2028 pitcher/outfielder at Southwest Georgia Academy (Damascus, Ga.) who is a two-time GIAA All-State honoree.

• 

  Eden Rustin, a 2027 outfielder/utility player who attends Wewahitchka (Fla.) High and is committed to Georgia Southwestern.

*****

Next Up:

After the three impressive tournaments recently, Team NC – Yates/Lingle will have a couple weeks off before competing in the Alex Wilcox Invitational at the Atlanta Legacy.

“Our team will be challenged greatly but we accept it as we always have,” the head coach continues.

“We tend to do things differently than most with a small roster. We accept the challenges that come with it and roll together as a family of one. Everyone plays a role and they do it with a smile on their face which has helped us greatly.” 

— Brentt Eads/Line drive Media