Elite Selection
CRANBERRY TWP — It was while watching her father play softball that Mackenzie Baker formed an interest in the sport.
“He was in a church softball league,” she said. “I watched him and picked up on it and wanted to join a team.”
She did just that, signing up for the Cranberry Recreational League in 2010.
That was a lot of fly balls and swings ago.
Baker took a big step in 2014.
“It was her first experience in travel ball,” said Mackenzie's father, Keith Baker, an assistant coach for her travel team, the 14-under Pittsburgh Pride. “She became a solid outfielder and started to get really consistent with the bat. Then she picked up pitching. Now, softball is her life.”
Mackenzie's improvement recently paid big dividends when she was one of 24 players chosen for the Northeast Region's 13-under team that will compete at the U.S.A. Elite Select Futures Tournament, to be held in Orlando the first week of August.
The Northeast Region, which includes 13 states from Maine to Michigan, held five tryouts that attracted a combined 150 hopeful players. Mackenzie attended the tryout held in Harrison City May 8.
“They tested our fielding and hitting, timed us in running and how fast we can throw the ball,” she said. “After it was over, I thought I did pretty good.”
Two weeks later, she found out that she had made the team.
“I was super-excited,” she said. “I was ready to get packed and meet the rest of the team.”
Mackenzie will have to wait for that. The Northeast team will convene for the first time Aug. 1 in Orlando, hold a practice and begin tournament play the next day. The rest of the teams at the event will include one squad from the other seven regions around the country.
Mackenzie's selection for such an elite tournament was well-deserved, according to Rob Cumberledge, head coach of the Pride.
“She's our center fielder and also pitches,” Cumberledge said. “She tracks the ball very well and has a great arm. She can throw it from almost the fence to home plate on just one hop. And she's an excellent baserunner. I noticed a big difference in her play from when she was 11 to when she was 12. She really picked things up.”
Mackenzie has a preference on where she plays, saying, “I feel more comfortable in the outfield. I know I can get to balls and make plays. I'm confident when I'm pitching, but I don't think I'm fast enough.”
Though she may want to gain more velocity on her fastball, Mackenzie's pitching numbers for the Pride this season are very solid — an 8-1 record with a 2.50 ERA.
Offensively, she is batting .309 as the team's No. 2 hitter.
Before heading to Florida, Mackenzie and her Pride teammates will compete in the U.S. Specialty Sports Association's Great Lakes World Series in Ohio next month.
Softball takes up a lot of her time these days, but Mackenzie knows she is getting a lot back, too.
“I enjoy my teammates, competing and meeting other people,” she said. “I've probably made 20 friends just through playing softball.”
