Up next in the category of Bad Ass of the Year, Jaydin Goldenstein is a 16-year old three-sport star at Holyoke High School in Colorado. In a small-town school with 200 students, Goldenstein was already a god among boys, but just in case it wasn’t clear to the rest of his classmates, teammates and neighbors, he solidified that status in a baseball doubleheader against Wray High School.

Needing to win both games to win the Lower Platte League, Holyoke sent Goldenstein to the mound for Game 1 and he pitched a no-hitter, striking out 10 and walking 2. In the second game, Goldenstein switched to shortstop and hit four homeruns to complete the day’s sweep of Wray and win the league title. Oh, and he did all of this only two days after he sat by his mom’s bedside as she died from a stroke.

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Last week, pitchers Justin Verlander of the Detroit Tigers and Francisco Liriano of the Minnesota Twins threw no-hitters and everybody was all like, “Oh snap, two no-hitters in one week?” And eternal Pulitzer nominees like the Detroit Free Press are wondering if a guy like Verlander is finally set to be a star for his second no-no. Of course the answer is… hell no. Not when Kelsi Dunne is kicking ass and taking names.

A University of Alabama softball sensation, Dunne pitched the ninth no-hitter of her collegiate career Friday night against Ole Miss, as the Tide won 8-0 in exciting college softball fashion. The only thing that stood between Dunne and perfection was a hit batter, but I’ve heard that women tend to experience emotional flares every four batters.

In all seriousness, though…

According to Alabama head coach Patrick Murphy, this title is for the hurting community that has supported the Alabama softball program since the beginning.

“This was for Tuscaloosa and all the communities in Alabama that were hit by the tornados,” Murphy said. “It’s great to bring home an SEC championship two years in a row and we can’t wait to celebrate with the people of Tuscaloosa.” (Crimson Tide Examiner)

Both the Tide and the Rebels presented checks to tornado relief efforts before the game, which is commendable and admirable enough to make sure this doesn’t spiral off into jokes about fantasies and pillow fights. This time.