The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB Softball Signs Seven
11/27/2001 12:00:00 AM | Softball
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - The UAB softball team has signed seven players for the 2003 season, Head Coach Marla Townsend announced today. Jennifer McClure of Alabaster, Ala., Alexis Kreske and Andrea Pierson both of Miami, Fla., Amanda Byrne of Vancouver, Wash., Chelsea McCall of Gresham, Ore., Brandy Ensey of Trussville, Ala., and Tara Higashino of Elk Grove, Calif. have all signed with the Blazers during the early signing period.
McClure, from Thompson High School, is considered one of the top pitchers in Alabama. She was a member of Thompson's 1999 state championship team.? McClure was named to the All-Metro, All-County, All-State, and State Championship All Tournament Teams all three years of her high school career.? She was an Academic All-State selection her junior year and was selected to play in the North/South All Star team.? Her three-year record at Thompson is 83-12 with 821 K's and an ERA of .47.? She has a 4.0 grade point average (GPA) and is a member of the National Honor Society and Vice President of the Spanish National Honor Society.? McClure's summer team, the Birmingham Vipers, qualified for the 18A ASA Nationals while posting a 47-6 record.? The Vipers are coached by Rick Christophel, UAB football's defensive coordinator and father of UAB softball players, twins Sara and Carrie.
Kreske, a pitcher/third baseman from Gulliver Prepatory High School, is a National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Third Team All-American selection. She is a two-time Player of the Year for class 3A and was a member of the 3A state championship team in 2001. Kreske plays for the Miami Stingrays ASA team coached by Gator Rebhan.
Pierson is also a member of the Miami Stingrays. She is an outfielder and hails from Sunset High School.? She was on the 1998 NSA and ISA National Championship teams for the Stingrays and that same year they finished 4th in the ASA Nationals.? She hit over .340 with the Stingrays, the champions of the Florida's Finest Exposure Tournament in 2001.? Pierson's Sunset High School team was runner up in the 6A State Championship game in 2001.
Byrne, a utility player from Mountain View High School, was a member of WA Aphis' (summer team) 2000 Regional Championship softball team. In 2001, the team placed second at the ASA Nationals in Las Vegas.? She hit .363 with six doubles, one triple, and two HR for Guy Norman's Aphis squad.? For Mt. View High School, Byrne hit .373 while earning a 5-0 pitching record with 42 K's.
McCall, who hails from the same alma mater as UAB assistant coach Mick Hokanson, is an outfielder from Gresham High School.? She is a two-time First Team All-Conference selection (2000-01) and was named Second Team All-Conference in 1999. She plays for the Strictly Softball ASA team and is a left-handed slapper who hit .378 with 35 stolen bases for Coach Sue Oran.?
Ensey, a first baseman from Trussville, Ala., is a Moody High School product where she is in the top 10 percent of her class.? Ensey was selected All-County and All-Section her sophomore and junior years.? She was also a member of the 2000 NSA Class B World Series Championship team. Ensey plays for the Pelham Pride ASA team coached by Rusty Rozof.
Higashino, a transfer from Cosumnes River College, plays for Minors Gold ASA team coached by Rob Way. She is a pitcher/first baseman.? She was originally recruited by UAB assistant coach Hokanson at his previous college but opted to walk on at Sacramento State University.? Higashino transferred to Cosumnes River after fall term and earned team MVP honors her freshman season, where she went 18-7, with 165 K's, and a 2.24 ERA.? She hit .262 with 20 RBI for Coach Cheri LaDue's Hawks.? She was also named to the Bay Valley Area Conference Team and was named to the All-Tournament team at the Wolverine Classic.? Higashino had a star-studded high school career at Laguna Creek High.? She was the starting pitcher in almost every game in her four years and was honored as a three-time MVP and three-time All-League First Team Pitcher.? She was also a four-year academic award winner, had perfect attendance for four-years, was a four-year renaissance student, and earned the Community Service Award all four years.? Higashino also received all three cords at graduation, Community Service, Senior Project, and a 3.6 gpa and also was the Cardinal Crest Award winner.? She also earned the Presidential Academic Achievement Award.? In the summer of 2000, she was picked up by DaBomb, a team she helped win the Triple Crown World Series by going 8-0.? She also played with them in the California State Games where they also took home a 1st place finish thanks to her performance in the circle.? Her batting average that summer was .449 and she threw 123 K,s and had a 1.17 era.
"I am very excited about this class," said Townsend. "I believe this class will help us solidify the continued success of our program. We have brought in some very talented and versatile players that will no doubt help us in the long run."
