We continue our summer series of the 2025 Line Drive Softball National Club Player of the Week series by honoring those travel ball athletes who shine on the field

Today, marks top performances for Week 6 as we continue to recognize deserving players who can be nominated by e-mailing info & photos (1-3 as available) to Brentt.Eads@LineDriveMedia.com

IMPORTANT NOTE: Next week will be our final “National Club Player of the Week” for this Summer. Submissions must be sent no later than Tuesday, Aug. 5 at midnight EST/8 pm PST to be considered our final edition of the season!

To see what info to send, scroll down to the bottom of this page…

Today we recognize the outstanding play within the window of Monday, July 14 through Sunday, July 20, 2025 games.

Previous 2025 Line Drive Softball National Club Players of the Week

• June 25: Madi Doty (P, Texas Glory 18U – Shelton)
• July 2: Macie Bryant (P, Impact Gold 16U – Jackson)
• July 9: Emily Yoon (P, BCS Bengals 14U – Briggs)
• July 16: Alex Akins (P/MIF, Texas Blaze National DSTX 16U – Corona)
• July 23: McKenzie Leitgen (1B, Top Gun 18U National)

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This Week’s Line Drive Softball’s National Club Player of the Week (July 30, 2025)

*** Ava Papaleo continues to shine as one of the top 2026 grads in the nation, even in a shortened summer which saw her come back impressively from injury.

The outfielder/infielder on the Rhode Island Thunder 16U National team coached by Dave Lotti had a dominant showing at PGF Nationals in the Premier division where she batted .571 in seven games with eight hits in 14 at-bats, a slugging percentage of 1.786 and an OPS mark of 2.348.

Amazingly, five of her eight hits were home runs, two were doubles and one a single.

Ava homered in all four bracket games, a rare feat at PGF, and led her team in nearly every offensive category including a quality at-bat (QAB) percentage of 81.25.

In her second bracket game, against Beverly Bandits – Otto/Moran, Ava delivered a go-ahead solo homer run in the bottom of the 6th inning off a Louisville commit. It broke a 4–4 tie and proved to be the game-winner in a 5–4 victory.

In the third bracket game, against Beverly Bandits – Trackwell, Ava went 2-for-2 with a two-run home run and a double. Her homer came off a pitcher committed to North Carolina State. 

In the final bracket game versus Arizona Storm – Mathis, Ava launched a game-tying solo home run in the top of the 4^th inning to tie the game 3-3.

She also homered earlier in the week against the Corona Angels, giving her five dingers in seven games—an impressive power display in a tournament packed with elite competition.

For the season, Ava hit .500 with a .560 on-base percentage and an OPS of 1.960

Ava’s performance is even more impressive considering PGF Nationals was just her second tournament back after missing the entire high school season due to injury.

Her return came on the biggest stages—Easton Rawlings Invitational and PGF Nationals—widely considered two of the most competitive tournaments in club softball.

With her previous last official at-bat coming in November 2024, Ava stepped back into the box against top-level PGF teams and committed arms and immediately delivered.

She was also selected to represent the Rhode Island Thunder in the PGF All-American Games (Juniors team) for the second straight year.

Ava is committed to play at the University of Virginia.

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Runner-Up Line Drive Softball National Club Players of the Week

*** Mackenzie Sease helped her LLG Futures team be named Co-Champions at the PGF Summer Grand Cash-ionals in Spartanburg, South Carolina last week.

The Futures was leading Team NC Yates 2-0 in the bottom of the 3^rd with LLG batting when the sky opened up and the tournament ended with rain cancellation.

In the shortened championship game, Mackenzie had 7 Ks in three innings pitched and overall went 4-0 with one save for her team. 

The Class of 2028 standout pitcher and corner infielder for Philip Belfield’s team had 43 strikeouts in 20.1 innings pitched and didn’t give up a run. She also allowed just three hits all tournament with a .045 opponent batting average.

Mackenzie averaged 2.14 K’s per inning and also had a great weekend at the plate, hitting .588 with 10 hits including two home runs and seven RBIs. Her on-base percentage was .632.

On the year, she had 118 Ks in 65 innings pitched and, even though she’s playing 14U now, had several programs show strong interest in her including schools from the SEC, ACC, Big 12 Southern Conference among others. 

The incoming sophomore has been the lead arm for the LLG Futures this summer which included championship wins in the N.C. PGF State Championship as well as a strong showing at Triple Crown National Power Pool. 

Mackenzie also helped lead her high school team, Gray Collegiate High, to a South Carolina State Championship as a Freshman.

*** Mia Marchiano, a 2030 shortstop for the NJ Unity 12U – Torres/Marchiano team helped her team finish 7-2 at Triple Crown Summer Nationals where she batted .550.

Highlighting her play was a walk-off single in extra innings against the NC Stars and another game-winning RBI with two outs against HOPS Fastpitch in the last inning to break a then tied game.

Mia was a USSSA Select 30 invite and was also an All-Star Selection at the Triple Crown Summer Nationals.

A multi-sport athlete, she played in every game going back to last fall with a .324 on-base percentage in 195 at-bats and with her glove at shortstop had a .910 fielding percentage.

*** Avery Houser had a great showing at Alliance Nationals in Indiana last week competing for the United 18U – Albert team.

The outfielder and lead off for the team hit .583 with a .688 on-base percentage and a 1.083 slugging mark.

For the summer, she produced a .455 batting average, an OBP of .579 and a slugging percentage of .896.

*** Ava Petchkofski, another standout young player (Class of 2030) helped her Lionville Lightning 14U team take 2^nd place at the USSSA Eastern Nationals in Salisbury, Md. (13 Open).

She earned MVP honors for her play on Dave Kozak’s team as she batted .600 with a .643 on-

base percentage, a 1.243 OPS and a .600 slugging percentage.

She had 15 hits, scored 13 runs and drove in four RBIs in the event.

For the season, Ava hit .479 with a .580 on-base percentage, a 1.133 OPS, scored 51 runs and stole 25 bases with a 93 percent success rate.

In addition to her offensive success, Ava a strong defense at shortstop all year and at Nationals. Outside of the team’s catchers, she had the most chances with a fielding percentage of .932, including seven double plays.

Her other honors including being name as an All State and All American USSSA player as well.

*** Ariel Arambula, a standout 2026 first baseman and outfielder for Hotshots National – Galloway headed by Lane Galloway, had a great week at PGF Nationals last week.

The Wichita State commit hit .462 with a .521 on-base percentage and had 18 hits with six of them being home runs while driving in 24 RBIs.

She also walked five times during her time in Huntington Beach, Calif. for the 18U Premier age division.

For the season Ariel batted a sizzling .510 with a .575 on-base percentage and had 51 hits of which 10 were home runs. She also walked 13 times and drove in 47 runs.

*** Caroline Roth, an incoming senior third baseman also on the Hotshots National –

Galloway team was, like fellow infielder Ariel Arambula, on fire last week at PGF Nationals.

In 11 PGF bracket games, she batted .444 with 16 hits, three home runs, nine RBIs and a 1.209 OBS.

Caroline helped the Hotshots win the first losers bracket game with a home run and walk-off single.

Impressively, she played every inning at PGF Nationals including taking the field for seven games in two days.

For the season, the talented Class of 2026 grad hit .409 in 49 games with a 1.179 OBS and had 54 hits, nine home runs, 50 RBIs, and 28 runs scored.

She’s currently uncommitted.

*** Ila Hughes, a pitcher on Tennessee Mojo 2027 – Pardue and helped her team win the PGF 16U Platinum national championship last week.

As part of her undefeated run at Nationals, she pitched 26.1 innings with no earned runs. In the eight games she pitched (the team played 11 games), Ila had 18 strikeouts, three walks, only nine hits given up, a 0.00 ERA, a 0.456 WHIP and a measly 0.103 batting average against.

In the PGF 16U Platinum championship game, Ila pitched six shutout innings giving up three hits, 0 walks, and striking out seven to be named the championship game MVP.

Ila is normally a pitcher only but in the Bracket A quarterfinal against Firecrackers RTY Richardson, she was put in the lineup to shake things up and went 1 for 3 with two RBIs.

For the season, Ila had a 2.05 ERA and a 0.223 batting average against.

— Brentt Eads/Line Drive Softball

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Nomination Process

We’re looking for standouts who excelled in the circle, at the plate or in the field so be sure to nominate your favorite performance(s) by submitting the following:

• Player Name
• Grad Year (example: Class of 2025 or Senior)
• Position(s)
• Club Team & Head Coach
• Stats for the week (be as detailed as possible!)
• Up-to-date season stats if possible
• Recruiting information (if applicable)
• Any interesting background on the player
• Action and/or head shots
• If possible, contact info if we’d like more info or quotes

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