Two versatile area high school softball players, Abby Johnson of East Ridge and Kelsey Wilcox of Polk County, signed recently along with Maryville Heritage pitcher Miranda Hurst to continue their careers at Cleveland State Community College.
Johnson is the Lady Pioneers’ catcher but has played virtually every position during her career, “counting middle school,” and “really understands the game,” East Ridge coach Sandy Mauser said.
Cleveland State coach Suzanne Bayne loses seven players off this year’s team, and Mauser said Johnson’s leadership, hitting and ability to catch or play outfield would help fill that void.
“Abby hits about .400 and hits with a lot of power, and she really shows patience at the plate,” Mauser said. “She is a player who really inspires her teammates.”
Wilcox is a Polk captain with a “consistent bat and a big glove defensively,” according to Cleveland State assistant coach Katie Willingham. “She will see time in the infield and outfield. From the first time I met her, I knew that she was coachable and willing to work hard for the benefit of the team.”
Hurst had a 3.51 earned run average and batted .284 as a Heritage junior, and she has had a 3-to-1 ratio in strikeouts to walks the past two seasons.
Willingham praised Hurst’s confidence and work ethic and cited a “good screwball” among her pitches.
All three signees have been “outstanding high school players,” Willingham said, “and I expect them to come in next year and grow and develop and be real assets to our program.”
* The Lady Cougars beat the Tennessee Wesleyan junior varsity twice in a makeup doubleheader Monday, 5-4 and 7-1. Brittany Tipton got the first pitching win in relief when Bree Williams’ sacrifice fly following Abby O’Rear’s single and an error on Madison McKinney’s bunt decided the game in the seventh inning. McKinney had an earlier RBI.
Stacie Scott was the winning pitcher and had two RBI singles in the second game, when Kelsey Baker hit a two-run homer for Cleveland State (30-20).