LOUISVILLE, Ky. – University of South Alabama softball incoming freshmen Victoria Ortiz and Kennedy Cronan were two of 48 student-athletes from 38 high school programs from around the country to be named to one of the three 2018 National Fastpitch Coaches Association All-American teams as announced by the organization earlier this week.  

In addition to Ortiz and Cornan's selections, three other players from the state of Alabama were also selected by the NFCA.  Ortiz and Cronan also received all-South Region first-team honors form the NFCA on July 2.  

Ortiz – who lettered six seasons at Baker High School in Mobile for head coach Tony Scarbrough – was a Second-Team All-America selection by the NFCA after batting .515 for the Honeybees this past season.  Ortiz recorded 26 doubles, 16 home runs and drove in 78 runs in 2018, while she was successful in 15 of her 17 stolen base attempts.  

The 5-6 infielder earned multiple postseason honors following her final prep season as she was a First-Team AL.com Coastal Alabama All-Region selection, as well as being named to the Alabama Sports Writers Association Super 10 All-State Softball team.  Ortiz also earned ASWA 7A First-Team All-State accolades – the third all-state honor of her career – and was named to the 2018 AL.com High School Prep 100 List, ranked 88th on the list, while finishing seventh in the 2018 Miss Softball.  

Over the course of her prep career, Ortiz accumulated 57 home runs and 295 RBI at Baker.

Cronan – a third-team NFCA All-America selection – was one of two players from Daphne High School to make the list, joining fellow teammate Makenna Pierce.  This past season with the Trojans, Cronan also earned multiple postseason honors as she was both a First-Team AL.com's Coastal Alabama All-Region selection and an Alabama Sports Writers Association Super 10 All-State Softball team selection.  Cronan was also named to the ASWA 6A first-team all-state squad and chosen as the Hitter of the Year by the organization.

Like Ortiz, Cronan was named to the 2018 AL.com High School Prep 100 List, coming in at 77th on the list.  She finished sixth in the Miss Softball voting as a senior after hitting .474 with 16 doubles, 25 homers and 62 RBIs for the Trojans.  The 5-9 infielder finished the season with 90 hits and an on-base percentage of .557, while posting 26 multi-hit games.

For more information about South Alabama athletics, check back with www.usajaguars.com, and follow the Jaguars at www.twitter.com/USAJaguarSports. Season tickets for all Jaguar athletic events can be purchased by calling (251) 461-1USA (1872).
    
Join the Bullpen Club, the softball specific support club of the Jaguar Athletic Fund.  Members have access to purchase parking passes and receive Jaguar Softball gear.  All donations to the Bullpen Club go directly to support the South Alabama softball program.  For more information on how you can join visit:  jaguarathleticfund.com/bullpenclub.

—USA—