July 4, 2025
By Jack Carlough
LOVELAND, Colo. — Cool, calm and collected, pitchers Morgan Frailey and Danica Ferber excelled under pressure in Iowa Premier Sandstoe’s Colorado Sparkler Juniors 14u Open pool play finale.
Both dealt with traffic at times, but when a big pitch was needed, Fraily and Ferber delivered to help give Iowa Premier a 7-2 win over Firecrackers Leles-Bay Area on Thursday at Loveland’s Barnes Complex. The two right-handed hurlers stranded a combined seven Firecracker runners in a five-inning (time limit) victory.
Iowa Premier went 3-1 against Pool N opponents and will next face the first-place team in Pool L to begin bracket play on Friday (10 a.m.) at Loveland’s Centennial Complex. Earlier Thursday, Iowa Premierx beat Bombers STX Halli, 10-1, for its second Pool N win.
“It's been really fun to see all the great competition,” Frailey said. “The other teams have been crazy good. It's been great to battle. This tournament is really fun because we can go out and do a lot of stuff since this isn't our state.”
Frailey, a class of 2028 prospect from Illinois, started in the circle and got through three innings before giving way to Ferber. Her most impressive moment came in the second inning when she worked out of a bases-loaded jam with only one run allowed.
“In the first inning, I think my timing was a little bit off,” Frailey said. “I was throwing a little bit up, but I definitely made that adjustment and started throwing strikes, trying to pitch low in the zone, doing my best to keep the ball down and work my curveball out.”
Ferber then held the Firecrackers to one run in two innings pitched while striking out four.
To make Iowa Premier’s 3-1 pool play record even more impressive, head coach Bob Haag inherited the team last week and is still getting to know his players’ strengths.
“At the end of the day, it was about pool play, so we're trying to get girls time to see who's ready to go for bracket play,” Haag said. “Bracket play is when it really starts… At this point, it's really making sure that I know what each one can do for the week, because honestly, I had no idea before I got here.”
Offensively, Iowa Premier scored two in the first inning, two in the third and three in the fifth before the time limit went into effect. Center fielder Malori Farrens produced two singles, and three-hole hitter Brenna Young produced one single, a double and drove in three runs.
In the cleanup spot, Jaci Barrick walked in the third inning and later drilled a two-run double.
“What I like most about the two days is the energy in the dugout,” Barrick said. “We've been really loud, we had a lot of confidence in ourselves, and our pitchers have been doing very well. It's been a fun couple of days. The pool play, there are some things we could definitely work on, but otherwise, I'd say we're playing pretty solid.”
Firecrackers Leles’ Emma Wickham, Shay Mingus and Bella Reed each recorded one knock in an overall challenging game at the plate. Mingus and Valerie Cuen scored on a wild pitch in the second and fifth innings, respectively.
After closing Pool N play at 1-2-1, Firecrackers Leles will face a Pool G opponent on Friday (10 a.m.) at Windsor’s Chimney Park.
