June 28, 2024
FORT COLLINS, Colo. — Timely hitting, aggressive baserunning and stellar pitching led Virginia Unity Johnson 16u past Oklahoma Athletics National Madden/Brown, 3-0, during Thursday’s P5 fastpitch event.
In the circle, southpaw starter Sofia Reisinger set the tone early for Unity, tossing 2 1/3 scoreless innings while striking out three. From there, relievers Nevaeh Williams (1 2/3 IP) and Violet Flynn (2 IP) cemented the shutout at Red Rocks Field inside the Triple Crown Sports complex.
“They feed well off each other,” said Unity head coach John Johnson. “They're all different pitchers, different spins, different locations, different body types. It worked out really well. We kept them off balance and set our rotation along with it.”
Reisinger, a class of 2026 prospect from Wayne, New Jersey, faced all 11 Athletics National batters and allowed only two hits.
“I felt good,” Reisinger said. “I felt everything was consistent and I was executing my pitches well.”
At the plate, Unity produced only five hits but optimized nearly every opportunity it had with baserunners. After getting plunked in the first inning, shortstop Kylie Holden scored Unity’s first run when she stole home via a delayed double steal with teammate Emma Newsom advancing to second base.
Holden was more than pleased to get Unity on the board early with some intelligent baserunning.
“I'm pretty quick,” the class of 2028 infielder said with a grin. “As soon as she (Athletics National catcher Maddie Oakley) threw it, I just sprinted home, dove in and was safe, happy. The first run of the game, it felt very good.”
Unity added another run in the second frame when Reisinger brought home Kristyn Niles, who had doubled, with an RBI single. Niles finished the game with a team-high two hits and caught six scoreless innings behind the plate, but she gave all the credit to her pitchers and fellow defenders.
“I think our pitchers worked super hard today,” Niles said. “We also had the backup of our defense and that’s what really helps them push forward and shine the way that they do.”
Leading off the bottom of the fifth, pinch hitter Jordyn Wilkerson doubled and later scored on a single by Holden. Flynn, now working with a three-run lead, then secured the win with a 1-2-3 sixth inning.
As for Athletics National, Marcela Attar, Kaylee Baxter and Brooklyn Wells each had one single and Kaitlyn Bryant ripped a fifth inning double, but none of the four managed to score. Athletics National, which beat Glory Adkins Gold, 12-2, on Thursday, is scheduled to face EC Bullets Mayfield/Vega on Friday at 2 p.m.
Unity Johnson, which tied Louisville Lady Sluggers VanBoxmeer, 6-6, on Thursday, will face Glory Adkins Gold, Mojo-Lewis and Warrior Academy McDonald in a Saturday triple-header at Rolland Moore Park in Fort Collins.
