Alyssa Balcom knew at the end of last summer that she wanted to return to the Scenic City Collegiate League. The relationships that were built over 30 days, and the quality work gained, were all the reasons she needed to make that decision for a second consecutive year.
“Last summer, I had such a good time making new friends, meeting new people, coaches, everything, and still getting really good reps, so I was looking for the same thing this summer,” Balcom said.
The Oakland University standout got that and for the second straight year, was a part of a championship team in the SCCL. Balcom slashed .436/.442/.769 with four home runs, 17 RBIs and 17 runs scored for the River City Smokies, who were coached by Joe Guthrie. She also handled a decent load in the circle, tossing 39.2 innings with 42 strikeouts.
For Balcom, the value of the league showed up back in Michigan. Facing some solid players over the summer changed how she carried herself once the spring season arrived at Oakland.
“I came here and competed against the best competition from all over the country, like Power 4 kids, every division, every conference,” Balcom said. “So, I had a newfound confidence. When we competed against whoever, I knew I could hold my own.”
The numbers backed it up in 2026 for the Macomb, Mich., product. After hitting .278 with a .371 slugging percentage in 2025, Balcom jumped to .383 and a .617 slug in 2026, raising her on-base percentage from .290 to .396 in fewer games. In the circle, she trimmed her ERA from 4.91 to 3.03. If that trajectory holds after this summer with the Smokies, an even bigger year could take place in the 2027 season.
The reps were only part of it. Building a roster from scratch every summer, with players pulled from different programs, pushed Balcom into a leadership role she carried home.
“Coming here, meeting new people, having to build a whole new team and be a leader on that team, I brought that back to school as well,” she said.
Much of what Balcom took from the summer traces back to Guthrie, who has coached at every level of the game. She pointed to the way he teaches the mental side, keeping players engaged whether they are on the field or in the dugout.
“He teaches a lot of the IQ part of the game, which is awesome because even if maybe you’re not on the field, you’re always learning in the dugout,” Balcom said. “He focuses a lot on how we make our outs, depending on which pitcher we face, which is something that I’ve never really been talked to about.”
The Smokies lost just once through their 20-plus game season, and Balcom credited a group that came from all around and shared the same drive.
“We all have the same passion for the game,” she said. “Even when we maybe are facing adversity in a little bit closer of a game than we want to be in, we are confident that we can do it.”
Heading back to Oakland, Balcom has zeroed in on trusting the players around her as much as her own game. While that can often be a tough thing to do, regardless of how easy some make it sound, Balcom knows that each player on that field is there for a reason.
“Trusting my defense has been a big thing this year, knowing that I have such a strong team behind me,” she said. “And really just playing with my team, knowing I can compete. It doesn’t matter who I’m playing with or against.”
Balcom is a great example of why the Scenic City Collegiate League is a great option for collegiate softball players in the summer. You gain meaningful reps and build friendships that will last.
