8th grade Ferris softball pitcher helps win Alliance Fastpitch National Championship

FERRIS – A right-handed softball pitcher in the 8th grade at Ferris Junior High School is the first softball player from the city to achieve the Alliance Fastpitch Championship Series National Championship.

Maci Barnes, a pitcher for the Texas Bombers Gold 14U Malpass, won the Alliance Fastpitch Championship Series National Championship played in Chino Hills, Calif.

Barnes’ journey for her AFCS win began over a year ago through the USA High Performance Program (HPP) identifiers. Outstanding players are identified and then invited to the HPP National Selection event held in Florida in December. It is here they compete for a spot on the USA JNWT.

Unfortunately, Maci was injured during the identifier’s timeframe for the selection, but she did receive and invite as a person to be looked at for the HPP National Selection event. 

At the selection event, Barnes competed against over 200 athletes. She was named a “Top Performer in U14 age group.” 

From there, the young athlete was named to the team for JNWT for USA for the WBSC (World Baseball Softball Confederation) U-15 qualifier in Acapulco Mexico, which will take place in March. She will also be with the team for WBSC U-15 World Cup in Milan, Italy from June 27 to July 5.  

In these tournaments, the teams compete with other countries from around the world for the titles.  

Maci’s mother, Denise Barnes said, “This opportunity is an opportunity of a lifetime and from being a part of this team she is now in the pipeline for Team USA as she gets older.”

During the series Barnes was the starting pitcher in two of the three games and won two.

She began playing for Ferris Youth Softball as a pitcher in 2016.

“This is an amazing opportunity and I am so blessed to have the chance to represent USA,” Barnes said of her upcoming trips and games. “I am thankful to have my coaches and parents on my side and of course, God without him, none of this would be possible.”