07/09/2013 - Advanced Training and Competition at the World Cup Riley continues to develop as an athlete. Her willingness to learn and to make adjustments sets a tone on the field. As a RHP, she has a natural mound presence, a good pitching arsenal, and good composure/demeanor. Continuing to focus on mechanics, leg drive, and spins and snaps will increase velocity, accuracy, and movement. As a hitter, she has an athletic set up that produces contact. Continuing to focus on a stride and load, driving the hands through the zone, utilizing the lower half, bat extension after contact, and timing will increase power and efficiency. Implementing a strength and conditioning program will increase speed, agility, power, body awareness, and coordination. As Riley continues to develop and mature through application and experience, she will be on track for seeking collegiate attention.
03/24/2013 - College PREP - Rochester, NY Riley is a very young two way player with some advanced feel on both sides of the ball. In the circle, she features a full arm swing with forward hand position in an athletic stance with flashes of steady rhythm/tempo throughout her delivery. A strike thrower, she shows an advanced understanding of pitching to contact while changing speeds to keep hitters off balance and will benefit from eliminating the recoil in her finish to allow her to stay in line with solid direction. As a 2B, she is an accurate thrower, tracks the ball well off the bat and shows some developing athletic ability when going side to side. She will see improvements to her defensive skill set as she softens her hands, plays low at the hips and uses an active prep-step to prepare for every pitch. At the plate, Riley uses a closed stance with no load, a short stride and keeps her weight back before launching to contact. Long at times, her swing produces contact to all fields and will improve as she matures and gets stronger. The addition of a load and added strength are the two adjustments that should be focused on before anything else. She tracks the ball well and should continue to work on using the lower half aggressively on every swing. Overall, Riley is a talented young player with a ton of potential and time to develop. Continuing to seek quality reps and instruction will aid in her timely development and should continue to be part of the plan.
Lea Ann Jarvis is the Senior Director of Softball Operations.