Carolina Blaze General Manager Dana Sorensen: June 29, 2026

Carolina Blaze General Manager Dana Sorensen: June 29, 2026

On June 29, Charles Mays of Southeastern Softball Wire interviews Carolina Blaze GM Dana Sorensen in Oklahoma City as the Blaze begin a series vs. the Spark. Sorensen assesses the team about 11 games into the season, noting missed late chances but strong offensive metrics, lineup depth, and major contributions from rookies Karlyn Pickens, Reese Atwood, and Dakota Kennedy. She attributes their smooth pro transition to SEC competition and recent Women’s College World Series experience, and highlights Atwood’s clutch hitting and leadership handling the pitching staff. Sorensen discusses pitching development from Jala Wright and Emma Lemley, the challenges of a 16-day, nine-game road trip, schedule preferences, and infield defense led by Alyssa Brito and Ana Gold. The episode previews Pickens vs. Maya Johnson on ESPN2 at 7:00 PM ET. 00:00 Interview Kickoff 00:50 Season Start Review 02:03 Rookies Making Impact 04:04 Why SEC Prepares Pros 06:53 Reese Atwood Clutch Bat 08:46 Pitching Staff Finding Groove 12:07 Surviving The Road Trip 14:29 Schedule Format Thoughts 16:55 Infield Defense Spotlight 19:41 Jenna Laird And Bench Depth 22:10 Managing Playing Time Matchups 24:12 Bullpen Catching And ESPN Preview 27:20 Final Thanks And Sign Off

Coach Lindsay Leftwich | Associate Head Coach Carolina Blaze of the AUSL

Charles Mays interviews NC State’s Coach Lindsay Leftwich, now associate head coach of the Carolina Blaze in the AUSL, as the season opens with first pitch Tuesday, June 9, 2026, at 5:00 PM ET on CBS Sports Network versus the Portland Cascade, followed by a Wednesday game at 8:00 PM ET on ESPN. Leftwich discusses transitioning from college to the pro ranks, the athletes’ eagerness to learn, and what she can bring back to the Wolfpack. She highlights the Blaze’s roster versatility, key players like Aleshia Ocasio, Kayla Kowalik, Reese Atwood, Jenna Laird, and Devyn Netz, and a deep, varied pitching staff including Karlyn Pickens (scheduled to start Wednesday), Keiilani Ricketts, Jala Wright, and Emma Lemley. They also discuss growing investment, TV deals, and how the league is building a sustainable professional future for softball.

Jerzie Nutile Pro Softball player | Florida Breeze - PSL

Charles Mays sat down with Jerzie Nutile of the Florida Breeze. They discussed the upcoming Professional Softball League season, Karlyn Pickens, and softball in general. Nutile is also a coach in the Florida Gulf Coast League.

Southeastern Softball Wire Podcast: Michelle LaCourse talks Scenic City Collegiate League, summer ball and the portal grind

The Southeastern Softball Wire Podcast is here, and so is Charles Mays. After a spring spent covering Vanderbilt baseball at 247Sports, Charles returns with a rebrand from Fastpitch Wire to the Southeastern Softball Wire, focusing on the footprint across region at all levels. Joining him from Chattanooga is Michelle LaCourse, who breaks down everything coming this summer in the Scenic City Collegiate League. Michelle shares her experience broadcasting Tennessee and UTC softball, calling the SoCon Tournament alongside Jill Jelnick, and the chaos of championship week at the TSSAA State Tournament in Murfreesboro. The conversation digs into the transfer portal landscape ahead of the June 8 opening, with Michelle offering candid thoughts on inflated expectations, why mid-major players should weigh every visit, and the value of putting physical evidence in front of coaches at Portal Day on June 19 at LFO High School. Last summer, every one of the league's 20-plus portal athletes found a new home. Michelle also unveils new layers for 2026: a partnership with Inner Grit for player workouts, a welcome jamboree on June 11, and the debut of the Chattanooga Chill, with league athletes lacing up in exhibition games against the Atlanta Smoke on June 18-20 at Northeast Alabama Community College and again July 13-14 in the Kennesaw area. Plus, why Chattanooga is a softball destination worth choosing over Florida or California, the Lookouts' new ballpark, and the bigger message at the heart of the league: come get your spark back and play loose again. Contact Michelle directly at lacoursem15@gmail.com [lacoursem15@gmail.com] or Coach Tommy at tommytas08@gmail.com [tommytas08@gmail.com]. League overview at americancollegiateleague.com [http://americancollegiateleague.com].

Why Troy Softball Could Surprise the Sun Belt — Coach Eric Newell Interview

Fastpitch Wire Softball's Charles Mays sits down with Troy Trojans head softball coach Eric Newell to talk about the first 23 games of the season, the Sun Belt Conference outlook, and what makes this roster tick. Coach Newell discusses the loss of Kyye Ricks to injury, Megan Loftis stepping into the starting role, Makaley Boswell's monster season at the plate, and the pitching development of Ella Cunningham and Abby Lovell under pitching coach Elizabeth Hightower. He also gets real about the transfer portal's impact on Troy's culture, the parity across college softball, and why the Sun Belt shouldn't be slept on. Chapters: 0:00 Intro 0:45 First 23 Games: What Coach Newell Likes About This Team 1:45 Stolen Bases, Doubles & Offensive Identity 2:30 Kyye Ricks Injury & Megan Loftis Stepping Up 4:15 Makaley Boswell's Breakout Season 6:00 Sun Belt Preseason Snubs & Motivation 7:45 Non-Conference Takeaways Heading into League Play 8:30 Sun Belt Conference Depth & Parity 11:00 Pitching Staff: Ella Cunningham, Abby Lovell & Coach Hightower's Impact 13:00 Transfer Portal: How It Built Troy's Culture 16:00 Parity Across College Softball This Season 19:00 South Alabama Rivalry Series Preview 20:30 Closing Thoughts & App State Future Matchup