We have an awesome profile today, a sophomore star from Louisiana who is a true student-athlete and part of a great team story you won’t want to miss!  We also profile an Indiana catcher who’s staying close to home and feature a Georgia hurler who is tearing it up at the club and high school level. And for good measure, we list the top 25 college teams according to ESPN and USA Today as we get closer to the start of the 2014 season!

 

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PLAYER PROFILE: BAILEY HEMPHILL

Grad Year: 2016
Position: catcher
High School: St. Thomas More (Lafayette, La.)
GPA: 4.0
Club: Louisiana Voodoo
Stats:: hit .595 with 57 RBIs and 16 HR as a freshman
Honors: LSWA Class 4A All-State; Class 4A MVP; Outstanding Player – State Championship Game; 1st Team All-District; 1st Team All-Acadiana; All-Acadiana MVP
College: Alabama

 

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StudentSportsSoftball.com: You had a great freshman year and were named the 4A Outstanding Player… what was the best part of the year for you individually and as a team?  
Bailey Hemphill: Individually, I could not have accomplished anything without my teammates, so all of my accomplishments belong to the team.  As a team, there were so many best parts, I can’t pick just one.  Obviously, winning state was one.  We overcame so many obstacles throughout the season, from our coach being sick, injured players, and our pitching coach sustaining a concussion right before the championship game.  We had a freshman pitcher and catcher.

Perseverance was our theme for the season, and we did just that.  Our school has won many state titles, but never had a player hit a home run at the state tournament.  We were so proud to be the first team in our school history to do that.  We actually hit six!

And one of our teammates has Down Syndrome.  She was at every practice, every game, every tournament, every step of the way with us.  We have a special inning after each home game called “Janie’s Inning” where the opposing team pitches to her, and we hit her around until she scores a run.  We all learned many life lessons last season through Janie.

 

SSS.com: Walk us through the recruiting process with Alabama… how did they first find you and how long was it until you were offered?
BH: Coach Murphy first saw me play at ASA 16U Nationals in Montgomery in 2012 when I played for Louisiana Impressions.  He was actually scouting players from the opposing team, but I must have impressed him because he sent Coach Vanbrakle to watch my next game.  My team recruiter did a great job of “talking me up” to her.  That fall, I switched to Louisiana Voodoo, and Coach Murphy, Coach Aly and Coach Vanbrakle started watching me at showcase tournaments from that point on. I went to two camps that winter and went on an unofficial visit in October 2013.  It was during that visit that I received an offer.

 

SSS.com: How did a Louisiana girl get away from LSU and La Tech?
BH: I live in Lafayette, which is home to the UL Ragin Cajuns, so UL was higher up on my list than La Tech.  My parents both graduated from USL (now UL), and because of this, I had more exposure to UL than LSU. We have season tickets to UL softball and I started going to their camps when I was really little.  I was even coached by UL players on my old travel ball team.

Despite that big UL connection, I really want to go to college out of state. I have followed Alabama softball for years. Coach Murphy and Coach Aly both have Louisiana connections so it was kind of neat to keep up with them.  The Alabama coaches and staff and facilities are just phenomenal. I could not pass up an opportunity to play for the Alabama softball program.

 

SSS.com: When did you decide to commit and what led into the decision?
BH: In order to make an informed decision, in the fall, I started going on unofficial visits to colleges that I was interested in.  I had been to Alabama for camps before, but I was really blown away on my visit.  The facilities, the coaches and the players at Alabama are all top notch.

I was really impressed that the coaches took the time to get to know me both as a player and as a person during the recruiting process.  They checked up on me often by calling my high school coach, travel ball coach and my hitting instructor, checking on my grades, and my progress as a player.  They watched me play at just about every showcase tournament.  They even checked up on my parents.  It meant a lot to me that they really wanted ME!

Alabama has an awesome history of taking great players and making them even greater people.  Being a part of the Alabama softball program, I know that I will leave Alabama a better person than when I arrive.

 

SSS.com: How did you tell the coaches?  And what was their reaction?
BH: I told myself when I started this process that I would not make a decision while on a college campus.   So even though I knew during my visit that I would accept, I let it all sink in after I got home, and then I called the coaches and told them that I wanted to play softball for Alabama.  They were both pretty excited.  Coach Aly even screamed!

 

SSS.com: Did you and your family do anything to celebrate?
BH: Not really.  I play basketball, too, so between homework, basketball practice and games and fall ball there hasn’t been any time to celebrate.

SSS.com: How far away from home will be?  Was distance a factor in your decision at all?
BH: Tuscaloosa is a six hour drive from Lafayette.  It’s far enough away from home to be “away,” but not too far away.  My family will be able to drive to watch games, and I’ll be able to drive home for visits.

SSS.com:  You can obviously hit… What’s your approach at the plate, do you have a specific hitting philosophy?
BH: I have been taking hitting lessons with Jake Epstein in Colorado for several years now.  From working with Jake, I have developed muscle memory and correct rotational hitting mechanics, so when I get to the plate, my body knows what to do.  See the ball, hit the ball.

SSS.com: What else do you feel is a strength and what are some areas you’d like to work on this year?
BH: I am good behind the plate as well.  I do a good job of blocking pitches, keeping the ball in front of me.  I love to pick off runners who try to steal on me!  One thing I am working on this year is being more vocal behind the plate.

 

 

Quick Hitters

 

What do you want to major in when at Alabama, do you know yet?  
I want to be a physical therapist, so I plan on majoring in kinesiology/pre-physical therapy.

Fill in the blank… My favorite part of softball is: ___________________
… meeting new people and making friendships that last.

What do you think is the best and worst thing about high school?  
The best thing is going on retreats.  The worst thing is all the homework.

Favorite food:  
Macaroni and cheese.

Least favorite food:  
Broccoli.

What’s your dream vacation?  
Going to Italy.

What type of bat do you use (and do you like it)?  
I used to use a Rocketech, but I switched to a Zeno last summer since Rocketechs aren’t used much in college ball.

When was the last time you laughed so hard you were in tears?  
Last Tuesday, before my basketball game, taking panoramic pictures with my teammates. In one of the pictures a teammate ended up with five eyes.

What’s something unusual or different about you that few know?  
I took dancing for eight years.

Describe your softball life in one word?  
Blessed

What would you be better at off the field: singing in a musical, competing in a spelling bee or acting in a dramatic play?  
Acting in a dramatic play

What’s your No. 1 goal for 2014?  
To make everyone I meet smile.

Who would you say is the face of softball today and why?  
Patrick Murphy.  He has done so much on and off the field to promote the sport.

 

 

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TOP 2016 PROSPECT TO WATCH: EMILY SOLES

*** We’ve come across a lot of talent recently in the Peach State and one of the top pitchers in Georgia of any age group is Emily Soles.

The 5-foot-6 right-hander plays for the Georgia Outlaws 16U team and helped lead the team to a tie for 17^th at the PGF 16U Nationals last summer.

During the travel season she was 28-6 with a 0.80 ERA and threw 286 strikeouts and in an ASA Qualifier defeated the Atlanta Vipers-Berry team 3-2… the team with 11 DI players that went on the win the 2013 ASA 16U Nationals.

Emily also drew national attention by being named the Most Outstanding Pitcher at the 2013 Scout All-American Games. Scout-Softball has her ranked as the No. 5 player in its sophomore ratings.

Emily has also dominated at the high school level where she was selected as the Georgia Dugout Club GHSA State Player Of The Year for Class A Private the past two years (freshman and sophomore years) at Prince Avenue Christian School.

She also is a two-time 1^st Team All-State honoree and was the Region 8A Pitcher of the Year in 2013.

Through her first two years of high school she has a school record 46 wins and 642 strikeouts and will probably eclipse the 1,000-strikeout mark as a junior.

The Peach State star has been pursued by top club teams all over the Eastern seaboard but has decided to stay closer to home so she could focus on academics.

She has been clocked as high as 66 mph at the Scout Softball Showcase held at Georgia State in March, 2012, but she’s more of a 63-65 mph consistent thrower.

Speaking of Georgia State, that’s where she’ll be headed when she graduates in the summer of 2016.

According to her high school coach, Cheryl Murray, “Emily has been the driving force behind our last two State Runner-up seasons.  Emmy is a fearless pitcher with high velocity and pinpoint control.  She has all pitches, but her bread and butter is a screwball that she is not afraid to throw inches from a right handed batter, making it extremely hard for batters to get around on that pitch.”

“I am a former D1 softball player (catcher) myself and the stuff she can throw as a freshman and sophomore rivals college pitching.  The movement on her pitches (especially her screw, curve, and rise) is impressive.”

“I’ve seen growth from her freshman year to her sophomore year in velocity (gained three mph), developed her change-ups more, reduced walks (which she didn’t have many before) and confidence.  We have extremely high demands for her as she has been our only pitcher.  She has more endurance of any pitcher I’ve seen.  Just to see her physical stature, you would not think she could throw the ball as had as she does.  She is average in height and has a slender frame.  Her mechanics are flawless, especially for someone that age, and that is where I believe her speed and wicked movement comes from.”

 

 

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RECRUIT SPOTLIGHT OF THE DAY:  BAILEE BOSTIC

High school: Rising Sun High
City: Rising Sun
State: 
Ind.
Grad year: 2015
Club: Cincy Static 97-Morgan
Position(s): catcher/third base
Height: 5-6
Stats & Honors:
fall travel 2013: hit .449 with .652 slugging percentage, 1.141 OPS, eight doubles and 17 RBI
high school 2013: hit .437 with school record 38 RBI and .693 slugging percentage

College: University of Evansville
Other Offers: Butler
Why Evansville: “Evansville was a great visit. I really liked the coaching staff and players and the commitment to winning softball. Evansville has the major (Music Therapy) that I am interested in too.”

What is your favorite bat: Demarini CF6… has lots of pop
What bat does your team use? Demarini CF6 and Zeno
What is your favorite brand of cleats? 
Nike
What is the uniform brand you prefer? Boombah

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COLLEGE NEWS: ESPN.COM/USA SOFTBALL TOP 25 PRESEASON POLL

*** Here’s the release from USA Softball:

OKLAHOMA CITY — A season removed from a runner-up finish at the NCAA Women’s College World Series (WCWS), the Lady Vols of Tennessee have secured the No. 1 spot in the pre-season ESPN.com/USA Softball Collegiate Top 25 Poll the Amateur Softball Association (ASA) of America and USA Softball announced today. Tennessee claimed six of the 20 first place votes in the poll.

At the 2013 NCAA WCWS in Oklahoma City, the Lady Vols started 3-0 to earn a spot in the Championship Series before falling to the Oklahoma Sooners in the best two out of three series.

The Lady Vols seize the top ranking from No. 2 Oklahoma, who earned their second National Championship in program history last year and finished the 2013 season at No. 1.  This marks the second year in a row the Sooners start the season at No. 2 after receiving five first place votes in this year’s pre-season poll.

The Florida Gators matched Tennessee’s six first place votes and come in ranked No. 3 to start the year.  Michigan, coming off of a 51-13 season a year ago, falls in at No. 4 and Washington, who received two first place votes, rounds out the top five.

All eight teams that competed in the 2013 NCAA WCWS start the 2014 season in the Top 10.

The seventh ranked Arizona State Sun Devils received one first place vote while Nebraska comes in at No. 9 and Texas at No. 10.

Filling out the remaining spots in the Top 10 are No. 6 Alabama  and Oregon at No. 8.

The Southeastern Conference (SEC) leads the way with eight teams ranked in the pre-season Top 25, while the Pac-12 boasts six squads in the first poll.

The Big 12 is represented by three teams in the pre-season poll and the American Athletic Conference (AAC), Big 10 and Sun Belt each have two.

The Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) and Conference USA each have one team among the Top 25.

Of the teams ranked in the pre-season poll, five squads had athletes on the 2013 USA Softball Women’s National Team.

Oklahoma is led by Destinee Martinez (Corona, Calif.) and Lauren Chamberlain (Trabuco Canyon, Calif.), who was a Top 3 Finalist for USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year in 2013.  Amber Freeman (Lakewood, Calif.) plays for Arizona State, Cheridan Hawkins (Anderson, Calif.) for Oregon, Taylor Thom (Cedar Park, Texas) with Texas and Sara Nevins (Pinellas Park, Fla.) and Kourtney Salvarola (Arnold, Md.) at South Florida.

 

Click here to see the complete list of the Top 25 Preseason Teams

 

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Players, parents and coaches:  want to know the best way to get us info on your favorite player?  Fill out our Recruit Form link and complete.  It comes directly to me (Brentt) and you very likely could see the info used somewhere on our site!

 

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If you’d like to submit information, forward to brentt@studentsports.com.  Also, follow us on twitter at @SS_Softball.