The fall is a busy time not just on the field but off as players finalize their college choices. We have over two dozen verbals to report today so sit back and catch the latest!

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*** Skylar Hayward, a 2017 pitcher with the Georgia Impact – Jeffreys team, has committed to Georgia Tech.

Head Coach Rick Jeffreys wrote to tell me the good news this morning…. here’s how he described his talented young player:

“Skylar is a power pitcher who is mentally tough in the circle and is a fierce competitor. She can also throw six pitches consistently.”

“Her growth as a player over the past 12 months has been tremendous which says a lot about her work ethic and desire to be the best. She will be a game changer for Georgia Tech as she will continue to put in the work to become even better than she already is. She has been a major factor in the success of our team and I expect that she will continue that trend in the ACC playing for the Yellow Jackets!”

*** One player who committed about six weeks ago but I haven’t been able to profile is Sydney McKeown, a 2015 outfielder with the Firecrackers – Blanco team, who has committed to Ole Miss.

You can see her in a skills video here:

Also, here’s a nice article on her done by the Daily Pilot out of Costa Mesa, Calif. when she committed in August.

*** Michigan picked up a good catcher in Abby Skvarce, a 2016 grad who plays for Finesse – Dreher out of Michigan.

Head Coach Donny Dreher told me today that Abby “Abby is a power-hitting lefthanded batter who throws right.  Michigan recruited her as a catcher but Abby can also play a solid first base.”

“Her strength is her bat, she hits both for average and power.  Abby was also being heavily recruited by Central Michigan University.  I anticipate Abby will hit 5th or 6th in our lineup behind fellow Michigan recruit, Alex Sobczak (2015).  Abby is one of four future Wolverines on my 2014-15 Finesse 18u-Dreher team.”

Coach Dreher also added that “another player of mine, Alyssa Heren, a 2015 outfielder/second baseman just verballed last week to Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville.”

*** Brittany Nimmo, the 2015 P/3B who was originally committed to Georgia but will now sign with Georgia Tech, is also playing for a new team—the St. Louis Chaos coached by Evan Beatty.

Coach Beatty wrote and said of Brittany, “We are very excited she will be playing for the St. Louis Chaos this year. Brittany is a great hitter as well as a great pitcher. She throws in the mid 60s with a very good drop, rise and change.”

“She is averaging over two K’s an inning for her high school, Ozark High (Mo.), this fall. Brittany is equally as good with her bat and hit cleanup for the Berholtz Originals team, who finished 2nd at this years IDT in Boulder.”

*** Another player who’s headed to a different program than the one she originally committed to is Gisell Juarez, a six-foot lefty pitcher who had initially verballed to Arizona but will now sign with Fresno State.

The junior at Mountain Ridge High (Glendale, Ariz.) decommited from Arizona over the summer and her mother, Dulcinea, recently said, “Gisell is beyond excited at the program that Trisha Ford, the former Stanford head coach of nine-years, is building at Fresno.”

The athlete’s mom said in August when she had backed away from the UA commit, “Gisell is jokingly calling herself a free agent. She has interest from schools across the country and her goal is to find a highly academically-oriented school with a dynamic softball program.”

“Gisell has goals to win a WCWS and she would like to compete either nationally or for the US team and hopefully be nominated to compete for the Olympic trials when/if softball is returned to the Olympic Games.”

Prior to visiting and committing to Fresno State, her mother said, “We as her parents were overly enthusiastic about the UA program which weighed heavily on the decision last time but as she starts to visit schools this month, I know she really wants to take the time to find the right fit and this time around the decision will be less influenced by us although, we will provide the facts and guidance, in the end this decision will be her own.”

Gisell pitches for the Firecrackers – Arizona team and next spring could help Mountain Ridge be one of the top high school softball teams in the country. The Mountain Lions placed 2^nd at state in Div. I and only lost one player to graduation.

Other college-bound players on the team include Alyssa DiCarlo, a 2015 SS and power hitter headed to Georgia, 2015 OF Taylor Kaye, who’ll play at Grand Canyon Univ. and 2015 second baseman Bailey Griffin who’s headed to Dixie State.

Off the field, Gisell is building a campaign to “strike out bullying” and has gotten the involvement of the entire pitching staff on her club team.

*** Jenna Brownell, a 2015 infielder from Florida, has committed to North Florida, according to her father, Mike.

Here’s a Recruit Spotlight we did on Jenna back in April:

Name: JENNA BROWNELL
High School: Chamberlain
City: Tampa
State: 
Fla.
Grad year: 2015
Club: Tampa Mustangs-Boynton
Position(s): 3B/SS
Height: 5-2

Stats & Honors:  NFCA Scholar-Athlete with 5.2 weighted GPA; was on the Miracle Sports All-State team in 2013
College: uncommitted
Misc.: As a freshman, Jenna was the only freshman or sophomore to play in Chamberlain’s state title win over Bartow in 2012.  She hit a double late I the game and scored a tying run.  As a sophomore she stepped into the shortstop shoes of All-American Bianka Bell who left for LSU.  Jenna helped Chamberlain make it to the semi-regionals.  A natural third baseman, has been working at the position with Tim Mouse, The assistant coach and father of Jessica Mouse, a former Chamberlain All-American and third baseman for South Florida in the 2012 College World Series.
Big shots: Two weeks ago Jenna hit a two-run home run against state-ranked Strawberry Crest and at the Kissimmee Klassic hit a seventh inning, full count, two-out grand slam against Plant.
Playoffs: Chamberlain improved to 21-3 and has the No. 1 seed in its eight-team district.

*** More verbals:

— SS/P Odicci Alexander (2016, James Madison)… plays for Lake Country Crushers
— OF/1B Haley Bejarano (2017, Central Florida)… plays for Arizona Suncats Gold
— OF Reina Bondi (2016, UNLV)… plays for Arizona Suncats Gold
— OF Carley Campbell (2016, Arizona)… plays for Arizona Suncats Gold
— 1B/3B Madison Christiansen (2016, Butler)… plays for PA Krunch Gold
— SS/1B Emily Conaway (2016, La Salle)… plays for Pensbury Gems Gold
— P/1B Carrie Eberle (2016, Virginia Tech)… plays for Team NC Elite
— 2B/OF Brooke Ellison (2015, Winthrop)… plays for Carolina Crush
— P/IF Olivia Henson (2016, Radford)… plays for Team NC Elite
— OF/P Erin Hill (2016, USC Upstate)… plays for Team Knoxville
— P/1B Katherine Huey (2017, Purdue)… plays for Atlanta Vipers – Palazzo
— P/UT Mara Kemmer (2016, UNLV)… plays for Arizona Suncats Gold
— C Kylie King (2016, Bradley)… plays for Arizona Suncats Gold
— IF Hannah Mabrey (2015, Western Kentucky)… plays for Arizona Hotshots Elite
— P/3B Devynn Marshall (2017, UNLV)… plays for Arizona Suncats Gold
— 1B/OF Hailey Martin (2016, Cal Poly)… plays for Grapettes
— 2B/SS Tara Oltmann (2017, Texas State)… plays for THZ Academy
— C Darby Pandolfo (2016, Seton Hall)… plays for Team Long Island Gold
— 3B Crista San Antonio (2016, Providence College)… plays for Team Long Island Gold
— P/OF Marissa Schuld (2018, Arizona)… plays for Arizona Suncats Gold
— P Leah Shipp (2017, Michigan State)… plays for Vienna Stars Gold
— C Elizabeth Shively (2016, Harvard)… plays for Georgia Fire Gold
— SS/3B Devan Sperry (2016, Utah State)… plays for Firecrackers – Blanco
— 2B/OF Jaden Tate (2017, Seton Hall)… plays for Lil Rebels
— SS/OF Kiana Tate (2018, Seton Hall)… plays for Lil Rebels
— P/1B Alea White (2016, Central Florida)… plays for Team Mizuno – Morgan