2029s Building Momentum In Fall Club Ball

The class of 2029 has just started high school this fall, and for many players, that comes with a huge step up in competition as they face varsity teams for the first time. But these rising stars will be more than prepared for their high school seasons thanks to their outstanding performances with their club teams — performances that are sure to have college coaches looking their way.   Below, Prep Softball highlights five class of 2029 prospects building momentum this fall in club softball tournaments.    Leah Bergamo is a defensive wizard in the outfield and one of the top players in her class from the Northeast. She finished her fall season with a perfect fielding percentage at the TNT Showcase, including a play in which she helped cut down a runner at home plate from center field. Bergamo has a quick first step, and her speed gives her impressive range as she patrols both gaps to run down fly balls and sinking line drives. She has worked as a volunteer coach for younger teams in her club softball organization and was selected to her Little League All-Star team in 2023. Bergamo takes her academics seriously as well, carrying a 3.98 GPA.     Kendall Hartnett's skill set is as diverse off the softball field as on it. She plays basketball, competes on her school's track and field team and is involved in quiz bowl, choir and student council. An honor student in the classroom, Hartnett holds a 4.0 GPA as well. So it's no surprise that Hartnett can do it all on the diamond. She can play catcher, first base and the outfield, showing no fear leaving her feet to make diving catches in center. Hartnett is an exemplary bunter with more than enough speed to leg out bunt singles from the left-handed batter's box. She has also mastered the power slap, placing the ball out of everybody's reach and collecting extra-base hits.     Gianna Skalski has more than held her own pitching against older players, buckling right-handed batters' knees on the inside corner and getting them to chase rise balls tailing away. Skalski's curveball is among her most effective pitches, with sharp, late movement to force swings that have no chance of contact. But she does not have to go outside the strike zone to get whiffs, as she maintains excellent command of all her pitches and can land any of them regardless of the count. In her first year of 14U ball, Skalski struck out 50 batters in 36 innings and had a 1.70 ERA, holding her opponents to a .188 average. She was even better with her school team, with 32 strikeouts in 17 innings, a 1.20 ERA and a .156 batting average against.     Gabby Racey is the definition of a utility player, with experience at catcher, second base, shortstop and the outfield. She tore the competition apart at the Great Lakes Premier Fall Showcase, going 10-for-15 with a 1.688 OPS, two triples, a double, seven runs scored, six runs batted in and zero strikeouts while playing error-free defense. Racey can drop down a bunt without squaring before the pitch, and nearly every swing she makes produces solid contact. Her long strides make her an outstanding baserunner, and she can hit for extra bases from one foul line to the other. She hit .500 at the 16A Moneyball Invitational and .455 at the LP4U Fall Kickoff Showcase, cementing her status as one of the top 2029 recruits in the Midwest. Racey has been to camps at Purdue, Indiana and Notre Dame.     From the Cincinnati area, Audree Schaefer is among the best defensive catchers in her class, working well with her pitchers and keeping almost everything in front of her. But she isn't just a stalwart behind the plate. Schaefer also excels at both corner infield spots, scooping throws in the dirt at first base and charging bunts effectively from third base. The hit tool is also advanced for her age. Schaefer looks to shoot the ball up the middle or to the opposite field, using smooth mechanics and a level swing. She hit .500 with five RBI at the Outlaws Not-So-Friendly tournament in September, following up on a spectacular eighth-grade season for her middle school team in which she had 22 hits and 20 RBI in 33 at-bats while playing the entire year without making an error.

The class of 2029 has just started high school this fall, and for many players, that comes with a huge step up in competition as they face varsity teams for the first time. But these rising stars will be more than prepared for their high school seasons thanks to their outstanding performances with their club teams — performances that are sure to have college coaches looking their way.