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Softball Signs Five to National Letter of Intent
11/13/2014 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Nov. 13, 2014
TULSA, Okla. - Tulsa Head Softball Coach John Bargfeldt announced the signing of five high school seniors - Morgan Neal, Rylie Spell, Julia Hollingsworth, Ellie Reaves and Kristen Prieto - to National Letters-of-Intent during the November signing period.
Neal is a middle infielder from Springdale, Ark., Spell is a catcher from Houston, Texas Hollingsworth is an outfielder from Ennis, Texas, Reaves is a pitcher from Little Rock, Ark., and Prieto is a shortstop from Moore, Okla.
"We are excited about this class, because we feel like these players have a variety of skills to offer," Bargfeldt said. "This class has speed, left-handed hitters, right-handed hitters and hitters with power potential. This is a class that really becomes a core class for us, because some of them are going to have a chance to come in and make immediate contributions, and possibly do so for their entire career."
Neal is a three-time all-state and all-conference selection from Har-Ber High School in Springdale, Ark. With her senior season still to play, she has posted a career .484 batting average with 11 home runs, 21 triples and 29 doubles. As a junior in 2014, Neal hit .469 with five home runs, 12 doubles and seven triples, and as a sophomore hit .518 with four homers, five triples and 12 doubles. During her freshman season in 2012, she hit .467 with two homers, five doubles and nine triples. She earned all-tournament honors at the state championships in 2012.
"Morgan is a left-handed hitter who can play the middle infield positions. We look for her to be one of those players that can come in and have an immediate impact for our team," said Bargfeldt. "She does a nice job of making consistent contact, and she can run pretty well. Anytime you have a middle of the infield-type of player, they usually have the versatility to play many different positions, because they're pretty elite defensively."
Spell was selected as a third-team All-American in 2014 by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association, and hit a nation-leading 14 home runs as a sophomore in 2013. The senior catcher/first baseman at Pearland High School in Houston has compiled a .407 batting average and 30 home runs in three seasons. As a junior in 2014, she hit .446 with 12 home runs and a 1.492 OPS, earning Texas Sports Writers Association all-state, Vype Houston Player of the Year and first-team all-district honors. As a sophomore, she hit .388 with 14 homers and a 1.369 OPS, and earned first-team all-district honors. As a freshman at Klein Collins High School in 2012, she hit .388 with four homers and a 1.117 OPS, leading her team to a state runner-up finish and earning academic all-district honors.
"Rylie is a catcher first, but also a first baseman, who adds a lot of power potential from the right side," Bargfeldt said. "She's already exhibited it in high school, and we're hoping that power will translate to the college game. She can be a solid defensive catcher - that's what we have seen her do the most. She'll come in and fight for playing time as a catcher, but also, first base is a position where we feel she could get time."
Hollingsworth, a senior at Ennis High School in Ennis, Texas, is two-time first-team Class 4A All-State selection by the Texas Sports Writers Association, and a three-time first-team All-District 15-4A selection. She hit .638 with 83 runs scored, 56 steals and 45 RBI as a junior in 2014. Her 83 runs scored set a national record in the National Federation of State High School Associations. She was also the Dallas Morning News Player of the Year last year. During her sophomore season of 2013, she hit .617 with 44 stolen bases and 42 RBI, and earned first-team All-Area Outfield honors by the Dallas Morning News and was selected to the All-Vype Greater Dallas team. As a freshman in 2012, Hollingsworth hit .550 with 21 steals and 32 RBI. She was also twice honored as an Academic All-District 15-4A selection.
"Julia adds the rare components of speed and left-handed hitting power," Bargfeldt said. "You don't see too many left-handed hitters that way, but she can play the small ball game, and really has the potential to hit a lot more home runs. She looks like a center field-type outfielder, with her speed and ability to go get the ball. That's what we usually recruit in outfielders - players that can really run and go get the ball. We like that type of defensive ability out there."
Reaves is a 6'1" left-handed pitcher from Beebe High School in Little Rock, Ark. She boasts a 68-15 record and 1.03 ERA with 601 strikeouts through three seasons. She is a three-time Class 5A Arkansas all-state and all-conference selection. As a junior in 2014, she tossed four no-hitters, and posted a 23-5 record with a 0.86 ERA with 203 strikeouts. She went 24-5 with a 1.05 ERA and 216 strikeouts as a sophomore in 2013, and went 21-5 with a 1.19 ERA and 182 strikeouts as a freshman in 2012.
"Ellie really fits what we look for in pitchers," Bargfeldt said. "When we recruit pitchers, we usually recruit those that have been the ace for their high school or club team. We always expect pitchers to come in and fight for immediate innings. She's that caliber of pitcher. We think she probably hasn't even hit her ceiling yet."
Prieto, a shortstop at Moore High School in Moore, Okla., is a two-time Oklahoma 6A All-State and three-time first-team District 1-6A selection. She also twice earned all-conference and all-region honors. She compiled a career .470 batting average in her four seasons. She hit .464 as a senior in 2014, earning District 1-6A Defensive Player of the Year honors. Prieto led the Lions to a state runner-up finish as a sophomore and a junior, hitting .470 in 2013 and .480 in 2012. She batted .470 during her freshman season of 2011, and was named the Moore Defensive Player of the Year.
"Kristen is a player that we've known about for quite a while. She is another middle infield-type of defensive player," said Bargfeldt. "I think the most amazing thing about her is the power in her bat. She's not built particularly like the prototype power hitter, but she just has a lot of juice in her bat. Her arm has really increased in strength. She is another player that, if her bat warrants that she has to bust into the lineup, there are probably several different places that she could work her way into the lineup. She did play shortstop for her club team and her high school. She'll probably have an opportunity at a middle infield spot as well."
Bargfeldt added about the signing class, "They all know each other pretty well already, and they all seem to get along really well. They should be a great fit, not only as athletes, but also as students and as the type of passionate softball players that want to come in and continue the winning tradition we have built here at Tulsa. That's what they're so excited about - joining a program where they get to play with players that are just as committed as they are."
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