Hampshire Cruises to Larkin Slugfest Title with Dominant Pitching and Offense

Junior duo of Julissa Akins and Addison Edlen lead the way for the Whip-Purs in championship win over Peru St. Bede

Apr. 19, 2026 at 1:04am

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A fragmented, cubist-style painting depicting the dynamic action of a softball game, with overlapping geometric shapes in shades of blue, green, and red conveying the energy and intensity of the championship matchup.Hampshire's junior stars Julissa Akins and Addison Edlen lead their team to a decisive victory in the Larkin Slugfest championship.Geneva Today

The Hampshire High School softball team won the Larkin Slugfest tournament on Saturday, defeating Peru St. Bede 12-1 in the championship game. Junior pitcher Julissa Akins excelled in the circle, while junior Addison Edlen provided the offensive firepower with a three-run homer. Hampshire scored 35 runs over the three tournament games to cruise to their second straight Larkin Slugfest title.

Why it matters

The Larkin Slugfest is a prestigious annual softball tournament that attracts some of the top teams in the region. Hampshire's dominant performance, including wins over larger schools like Bartlett and Round Lake, showcases the strength of their program and the development of their young stars Akins and Edlen.

The details

In the championship game, Akins pitched 4 innings, giving up just 1 run on 5 hits while striking out 4 without a walk. Edlen went 3-for-4 at the plate with a 3-run homer and 5 RBIs. The Whip-Purs also got big games from Mariah Becerra (3 hits, 2 doubles, 2 RBIs) and leadoff hitter Allison LeBlanc (2 runs scored, on base 4 times). As a team, Hampshire racked up 18 hits in the 5-inning victory.

  • Hampshire won the Larkin Slugfest championship on Saturday, April 19, 2026.
  • This was Hampshire's second straight Larkin Slugfest title.

The players

Julissa Akins

A junior pitcher for Hampshire High School who excelled in the championship game, pitching 4 innings and giving up just 1 run on 5 hits while striking out 4 without a walk.

Addison Edlen

A junior for Hampshire High School who provided the offensive firepower in the championship game, going 3-for-4 with a 3-run homer and 5 RBIs.

Rebecca Coffey

The Hampshire pitcher who threw a perfect 5th inning to close out the championship game.

Mariah Becerra

A Hampshire player who had 3 hits, including 2 doubles, and 2 RBIs in the title game.

Allison LeBlanc

Hampshire's leadoff hitter who scored 2 runs and reached base 4 times in the championship.

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What they’re saying

“My drop ball, screw ball and curve ball were all working. All my pitches were working. I have a great defense behind me and my offense was awesome. I can just throw strikes.”

— Julissa Akins, Junior Pitcher

“I felt amazing at the plate. The home run pitch was a changeup. I had a good swing at the pitch I hit the homer. We are going for three (Slugfest) championships in a row next year.”

— Addison Edlen, Junior

“Julissa really pitched well. Becca pitched a good inning. We have a nice one-two punch pitching. Addison really swung the bat well. It is nice Julissa and Addison are both juniors.”

— Jeremy Bauer, Head Coach

“This is really a good tournament with great teams that are bigger (enrollment) than us. We acquitted ourselves well. That last game got away from us. Hampshire is really a good team that swings the bats well. I am happy with the way we played all day.”

— Rob Ruppert, Head Coach, Peru St. Bede

What’s next

Hampshire will look to win their third straight Larkin Slugfest championship next season, led by the junior duo of Julissa Akins and Addison Edlen.

The takeaway

Hampshire's dominant performance at the Larkin Slugfest, including their lopsided championship win over a defending state champion, showcases the strength of their softball program and the bright futures of their standout juniors Julissa Akins and Addison Edlen.