MILWAUKEE — Before the Brewers and Rays took the field for Game 2 of the World Series, American Family Field belonged for a moment to three young softball players whose work has reached well beyond the foul lines.
Alina Elias, Kayleigh Allen and Janiya Pillow were honored in a pregame ceremony as 2026 recipients of the Jennie Finch Empowerment Award, presented by ARM & HAMMER. The fourth winner, Amarianna Hill, could not attend the Saturday night event.
Quick facts
- The award is in its eighth season after beginning in 2019.
- Each of the four 2026 recipients receives a $10,000 scholarship for college.
- Winners are selected from MLB softball development events and programs.
- The recognition emphasizes leadership, motivation, commitment, dedication, humility and integrity.
The honor recognizes girls who stood out at the Softball Breakthrough Series, Jennie Finch All-Star Classic, Elite Development Invitational and Nike RBI World Series. It is built to reward the complete player: performance, character and the habits that can carry into school, softball and community life.
Elias came to Milwaukee from Houston, where she catches for the Houston Astros Nike RBI program. She earned her selection through the All-Star Jennie Finch Classic and hopes to keep playing in college before making a career in the game.
“It feels like a once-in-a-lifetime experience,” Elias said before the ceremony. She thanked MLB, her youth academy and MLB Develops, adding that she was especially grateful to share the moment with the other scholarship winners and show what those programs can provide for a player’s future.
Allen, a Carson, California, native, received her award through the Softball Breakthrough Series. She said the prospect of standing on a World Series field had been on her mind since she learned she had won.
“I was really surprised,” Allen said. “From that point, I had been looking forward to this day. I’m just really excited.”
Pillow represented Chicago and earned her award at the Nike RBI World Series. The scale of the stage brought a little nervous energy, but not enough to dull the celebration.
“I’m super excited,” Pillow said. “There are a lot of people out there, so I’m a little nervous, but I want to thank Jennie and ARM & HAMMER for bringing me here.”
Hill, from Forney, Texas, was honored after the Elite Development Invitational. A Texas Rangers Youth Academy player, she has been recognized for her leadership, upbeat approach and commitment to service in her community.
When Hill learned she had received the award, she called her mother and put the reason in the simplest terms: she had won by being herself, supporting others and cheering for people around her.
That is the heart of the Finch award. Olympic gold medalist Jennie Finch, who administers the program, has described the scholarships as a chance to alter the path ahead for young athletes — helping them continue their education, compete at higher levels and chase the dreams waiting beyond youth softball.
For Elias, Allen and Pillow, Game 2 added another chapter to that path. They walked onto a World Series field in Milwaukee not only as players with a scholarship in hand, but as representatives of the kind of teammates and leaders the game wants to keep growing.
