2031 Defenders Making Highlight Plays Look Routine

Sis Bates had a habit of making everything look easy at shortstop throughout her playing career at Washington, and now does so in the pros. She would be the first to say it is anything but easy, but the best in the game make the tough plays look routine. And across the country, the future stars of the game are following right in her footsteps.   Below, Prep Softball highlights five defenders from the high school class of 2031 who make highlight plays look routine.    Anywhere you put her on the field, Brielle Sweet will give you a quality performance. While playing summer ball for the 12U Diamond Queens, she held a .961 fielding percentage at four different positions. In the circle, she delivered 101 strikeouts, and held batters to a .241 batting average. Behind the plate, she was a consistent threat to baserunners with her strong arm and accurate throws, as well as her textbook blocking and framing skills. At shortstop and third base, her alertness and high softball IQ paid dividends. She recently clocked in at 1.8 seconds for her pop time and 63 mph in overhand velocity. She does all the fundamentals well, puts in plenty of work off the field, and can be relied upon to make big plays.     Camped out in center field for her Unity squad during a game this summer, Jaycee Findley had a moment to remember. With a runner on third base and less than two outs, Findley tracked down and caught a fly ball in dead center, and then unleashed a rocket to the catcher at home—a perfect strike—with the baserunner not even halfway down the line yet. The catcher immediately threw the ball back to third, and the runner was easily picked off. The transition from her glove to her throwing hand was nearly instantaneous, she generated plenty of power through her mechanics, and her accuracy was spot on. In one play, she displayed both composure and agility. When you can make the difficult plays look routine, you are doing something right.     In addition to hurling strikes in the circle, Bryce Gardner is also a utility player, and in her own words, has "to be ready to make plays when needed." Earlier this summer, she did just that after being asked to play the hot corner during a tournament. In six total chances, she made six outs and had zero errors. She made all the plays look routine, from the tough short hops to the slow rollers to having to gather the ball quickly and make a long throw to beat a speedy runner. A multi-sport athlete, she also plays volleyball, which helps her have good footwork and quick reflexes. Throughout the summer, she also more than held her own in the circle, including pitching a complete game with 12 strikeouts, while also hitting for the cycle this spring.     Kaydance Pacheco put on an absolute clinic at second base during the War at the Shore tournament in July. She made three separate diving plays, and also helped turn a double play for good measure. The first play was on a foul pop-up down the first base line. Pacheco sprinted towards the ball from her spot at second, left her feet, and dove for the out. The second play was a looping line drive headed for center field, and once again, she had to leave her feet and dive headfirst for the catch. The third play was perhaps the toughest: the batter hit a wicked line drive to her right, and with less than a second to react, she dove for the backhanded stop, and from her knees threw for the out at first with time to spare. It is hard to believe her primary position is catcher with her performance in that tournament. Clearly, she brings her all wherever she plays on the field.     When the game is on the line, no defensive play is routine. However, Emerson Rhoad has shown more than once that they might as well be. With one out remaining and playing deep in the 5-6 hole, almost touching the infield grass, Rhoad began to creep in seconds before the pitch was delivered; and it's a good thing she did. Off the bat, the ball was a bullet, headed for extra bases into the left-center field gap. However, Rhoad immediately sprinted to her left, put her glove up, and the ball found the webbing. The second baseman was shading the opposite way and would have had no chance. Only one week prior to her game-ending catch, Rhoad smashed a walk-off single for her team. She simply knows what to do when her team needs her the most.

Sis Bates had a habit of making everything look easy at shortstop throughout her playing career at Washington, and now does so in the pros. She would be the first to say it is anything but easy, but the best in the game make the tough plays look routine. And across the country, the future stars of the game are following right in her footsteps.