Prime Softball
Prime White Claims first
PSFL Championship
The Prime Fall Softball League concluded with a fantastic weekend at the University of Arkansas at Monticello and crowned its first-ever champion, Prime White.
White, the league's No. 4 seed, got hot at the right time and rolled to the championship. Led by Monticello 2025 LHP/1B and Ouachita Baptist commit Alaina Lyle, White went 5-1 on the day and defeated Prime Gray in the IF game to claim the title.
"I was really proud of this group," White Coach and PSFL Commissioner Jay Lupo said. "We felt like we had the best roster in the league on draft night and felt that way throughout the entire season. But we never played to that level until today. We were up and down all year.
"We put it all together today though."
Year One of the PSFL was a smashing success, drawing strong reviews from its participants, its parents and college coaches alike. Multiple members of the Prime Army were offered scholarships and visits and/or committed during the PSFL weekends.
"Ultimately, that is what it is all about," Lupo said. "At the end of the day, it's about opportunity more than it is anything else. So it was awesome to see so many of our kids seize that moment and help realize their dreams. The PSFL was a platform, but they did the work."
"There were a lot of other positives from it too. Stuff that I didn't even think about when I created it, like lifelong friendships, player-coach relationships etc... I mean, it exceeded my expectations and they were sky-high coming in."
The PSFL featured plenty of stars in Year 1, but several stood out amongst their peers.
Baptist Prep sophomore Addison Highfill claimed the league's first-ever MVP Award after she hit .641 with 4 HRs and 23 RBI for Navy. Lyle won the PSFL Pitcher of the Year and Joe T. Robinson Freshman Mady Hokams took home Underclassman of the Year honors after hitting .613 for Black.
Year 2 of the PSFL is likely to be bigger and feature more college campuses. It will kick off in September of 2024.
"I can't tell you everything but I can tell you it will be a bigger, badder version of itself," said Lupo.
Quotes from college coaches around the state about what they saw in Year 1 of the PSFL
"The PSFL was a great opportunity for young athletes to stay local, play high quality competition and be in front of multiple college coaches on a weekly basis."
"Year one of the Prime Fall League has me excited for what is to come for not on the PSFL, but the Prime organization as a whole."
"The PSFL has proved to be an innovative way to build a strong culture as well as getting Prime kids an opportunity to play at some great colleges around the state."
"The publicity, graphics and communication with college coaches from [Prime Director] Jay [Lupo] made it super easy to stay up to date with the teams and individual players."
"The opportunity to play in front of college coaches in a competitive yet friendly environment is a nice change of pace from the weekly grind of typical travel ball."
"We developed relationships with the Prime players and coaches from all over, saw a ton of talent when they came to our campus and excitingly added to our 2025 and beyond prospect target list."