Texas Travelers start the 2016 Softball Season Playing Elite Teams

A couple of years ago, nobody gave the 04 Texas Travelers any thought when it comes to facing them on the field.  Today is a much different story as the Travelers are one of the top 04 Select Softball Teams in the country.  As a matter of fact, they will be testing their skills against some of the top 03 select teams this weekend in Houston, Texas at the Gene Campbell Sports Complex.

Starting out, the 1st Annual Start Spring With A BANG Tourney (a PGF sanction tournament) was an invitation only tournament.  The goal was to allow some of the most talked about teams in the country to face the elite softball competition around Texas preparing them for a long battle into becoming the National Champion for 2016.  The Texas Travelers were one of the first teams contacted to play.

This tournament will feature the best teams in the State of Texas.

In addition to the 04 Texas Travelers; Hotshots North (03 & 04), Texas Legends (03), GT Shockers (03), Hotshots South (04), Impact Gold (03), DirectTV Genies (03,04), Texas Bomb Squad (03), Hotshots Cryer (04), Sudden Impact (03), Texas Stealth (04), Impact Gold Barajas (03) will be playing in this early season warmup.  All of the teams are very strong with the Texas Travelers being the only North Texas Team making the trip down south to compete with the best of Texas.

Each of the teams compete at the highest level of select softball.  Last year the Hotshots teams finished first and second in the 10U PGF Nationals held in California while the 04 Texas Travelers finished 3^rd in the ASA/USA National Championships held in Normal, Illinois. 

This weekend, the Texas Travelers will find themselves in a Pool with the Hotshots North, Texas Legends, and GT Shockers and play a warmup game against the Texas Stealth.  Pool Play will determine Sunday’s bracket seeding with the championship game being played at 4 PM.  It will take a lot of perfect execution by the Travelers to make the championship game, but the girls are excited to show their talents on the field.

The Texas Travelers will look a lot different from last year’s squad that made a strong run in the National Championship Tournament.  In addition to Pitching Ace Elizabeth Schaefer, Hitting Phenom, Kaydee Bennett, and Speedsters Kelsie Adams and Zariah London; the Travelers have added Rylie Rumfield, Kenleigh Aguirre, Kennedy Chastant, Kailee Bautista, Emily Jonte, Kaycee Bock, Madison McClarity and Alyssa Stansbury.  These girls are very strong defensively and can hit too. 

Although the Travelers have only played one scrimmage together, the team has quickly become a strong unit with great parents, a strong fan base and the hardest working softball players around the diamond.  These girls will be fun to watch as each girl is one of the top players at their position in the country.

For more information about the Texas Travelers follow them on Facebook or contact Head Coach Kyle Bennett at 972.679.7702.

ASA Fall Preview features Texas Travelers

Every September there is talk of cool weather in Texas being just around the corner.  Football season is underway.  Doves are being taken down by the dozen.  However, every softball fan knows that the most prestigious road to crowning the National Champion for Girls Fastpitch will begin with the Dallas ASA Fall Preview.

Saturday, September 12 and Sunday, September 13th, Veterans Park in White Settlement, Texas will host softball teams such as the Texas Travelers, American Freedom 03, D1 03, Impact Gold 03, Texas Fusion 03, Firecrackers, Waco Heat, Batbusters, Texas Elite, Dallas Tigers and Texas Glory.

The 04 Texas Travelers will be playing the 2015-2016 softball season as a first year 12U softball team after finishing 3rd in the prominent 2015 ASA/USA 10U National Championship held in Normal, Illinois.  The team has made off-season additions which will surely turn the 03’s heads as they compete on the field.  Their roster includes two of the top 4 pitchers in the country (Elizabeth Schaefer and Karley Wolf).  In the offseason, the fastpitch organization has added the Arkansas Elite legend, Maddison McClarity, Emily Jonte (Texas Glory’s Ace Pitcher),  USA Select Elite All-American Midwest Region Top Performer Riley Rumfield, and a physical hard playing catcher, Kailee Bautista to go with All-Star shortstop Kaydee Bennett who led the team in every offensive category for the Travelers.

In addition to the high profile players on the 04 Texas Travelers squad welcome back girls who became the backbone of the Texas Travelers success such as starting catcher Emily “Moose” Forrester; shutdown first baseman Cadence Hopgood; speedster Zariah London; complete utility player Kelsie Adams; highest softball IQ Jessa McDonald; infield vacuum Bailey Ford and elite pinch hitter Payton Smythe who actually has eligibility to play for the 05 team.

The 04 Texas Travelers are scheduled to play Saturday against Texas Fusion 03 at 9:30 AM followed by American Freedom 03 at 12:30 PM.  The evening games will feature the Travelers versus Texas Fusion- Nicholson at 5 PM and then Texas Black Cats at 6:30 PM.  All games will be 1 hour and 20 minutes or 7 innings.  Bracket play will begin Sunday seeded by Pool Play and Single Elimination with the championship game scheduled for 1 PM.

Last year, the 04 Texas Travelers competed in several 12U tournaments winning the 2015 Summer Swinging 12U Championship playing the 03 Texas Glory in the finals.  Recently, the squad looked really strong in their scrimmages against the Texas Travelers 03 team and D1-03 softball organization.  The softball team continues to set their goals high as they compete across the country playing some of the most elite softball teams.  They are utilizing the ASA Fall Preview to get ready for the 2015 ASA/USA Texas Championship Series where the points winner will receive a berth to the 2016 ASA/USA National Championships held in Salem, Virginia.

For more information on the Texas Travelers, players, coaches, or schedules visit the Texas Travelers News Network or follow the team on Facebook.