MOBILE, Ala. ? University of South Alabama women’s softball head coach Becky Clark announced Thursday the addition of four transfers for the inaugural season: Linden Jones, Kristen Hayes, and Corey Race (University of Mobile), and Shay Sullivan (Lipscomb University).
Three of the new additions come from the University of Mobile. Linden Jones, a native of Opelika, Ala., was named Pitcher of the Year in three different classifications, including Gulf Coast Athletic Conference, NAIA and NAIA Region 13 last season as a junior. Jones also earned the conference’s Pitcher of the Year honors as a sophomore. Last season, she was also named to the NAIA All-Tournament team and earned MVP honors, leading the Lady Rams to the national title. She also earned second team All-American and All-Region honors as a junior. Jones finished her season having pitched 229.3 innings with a 31-1 mark, with 356 strikeouts. She pitched in 30 complete games with 20 shut outs and an ERA of 0.52, which led the NAIA.
Kristen Hayes, a catcher from Hueytown, Ala. played in 51 games batting .323 with 42 hits, 10 home runs, and 34 RBI. During her senior year, she helped lead Hueytown HS to a 5A State Championship and was named to the All-Tournament team.
Joining Jones and Hayes from Mobile is Corey Race, a native of Houston, Texas. Race played first and third base for the Lady Rams, batting .284 with 44 RBI and six home runs as well as being ranked number one in NAIA fielding percentage. She was named to both the second team All-District and All-Conference teams as a freshman.
"Having Linden, Corey, and Kristen transfer to South Alabama is going to make a tremendous difference to our program considering their past experience and accomplishments,” said Clark. “Having just won a national championship, all three know what it is like to both compete and win at a high level. Having players who know how to win when the pressure is on is half of the battle and all three of these have been there and done it. They also understand the importance of the team concept and what it means to work together for a common goal."
The final newcomer, Shay Sullivan, comes to South Alabama from Division I Lipscomb University. A native of Saraland, Ala., Sullivan played first and third base for the Bison in 2005 and sat out last season. Her senior year at Faith Academy, she hit .420 with 67 RBI, setting a new school record. With the Rams, Sullivan helped lead her team to a Super 12 State Championship and was named All-County. She also received Defensive Player of the Year three years in a row and a Golden Glove Award her senior season.
"Shay had a great high school career at Faith Academy and gives us another transfer player with previous experience at the Division I level,” said Clark. “She also adds another solid bat to our line-up and gives us depth defensively at the corner positions. I expect for her to also contribute in the leadership department with her attitude and tremendous work ethic."
The four signees join early signees Katie McGuire (Thompson HS), Autumn Hudson (Gulf Coast CC), and Katie Veres and Ashley Elmore (Wallace State CC) and Jenny Stevens (Jackson HS) and fellow late signees Julie Ann Morton (Morris HS), Beth Pilgrim (Escambia HS), Amanda Leggett (Pensacola JC) and Tara Donaldson (Auburn) in the inaugural Jaguar recruiting class.
