Nov. 16, 2011

BEAUMONT, Texas - Lamar University softball coach Holly Bruder announced that 18 student-athletes have signed National Letters of Intent to play softball at Lamar as the university revives its program in the spring of 2013.

"I'm very excited about our first class," Bruder said. "For the first 90 days as coach, I've been on the road for about 80 days recruiting. I think these 18 players form a great foundation for our program."

There will definitely be a Texas presence on the roster, as 10 of the players hail from the Lone Star State, including two from Beaumont. West Brook outfielder Tiffany Schwartzenburg and Hamshire Fannett infielder Shannon Sain are the recruits who call Beaumont their hometown.

Schwartzenburg comes to Lamar from Lamar State College - Port Arthur, where she led the team with 14 RBIs while hitting .241 as a freshman last season. At West Brook, she earned second-team all-district honors as a senior.

Sain, a 2011 graduate of Hamshire Fannett, where she earned all-district honors as a pitcher, will play for Blinn College this spring.

Little Cypress-Mauriceville High School will be well represented on the Lamar roster with three players. Coming to the Lady Cardinals from LC-M are outfielder Julianne Viator, who is currently at Galveston College, where she led the team with a .357 batting average last season; and incoming freshmen outfielder Ashleigh Jones, a .481 hitter last season; and catcher/infielder Baylie Comeaux, who played three seasons at Spring High School before transferring to LCM for her senior year.

Also staying in Texas to continue their education are Shannon Millman a left-handed pitcher from Pasadena, who was 21-8 with a 1.60 ERA for San Jacinto College last season; Taylor Duck, an infielder/outfielder from Spring, who has been an all-district player in each of the past two seasons for Oak Ridge High School; Kristina Schulz, a right-handed pitcher/first baseman from Spring, who was an NJCAA Division II All-American last season while helping LSU-Eunice win a national title; Ashley McDowell, a first baseman from Plano, who hit .392 with 35 RBIs for Plano High School; and Candyce Carter, an outfielder from Sweeny, who hit. 387 while earning all-conference honors for San Jacinto College last spring.

Southeast Texas has a lot of great talent," Bruder said. "It's great that a lot of players are going to stay close to home to continue their careers and get an education."

The eight remaining signees come from seven different states, with Florida leading the way with two. Coming to Lamar from the Sunshine State are pitcher Ashley Rey (Sunrise, Fla.) and catcher Beverly Corry (Broward, Fla.).

Other signees are right-handed pitcher Tierney Nelson (Tecumseh, Mich.), who was 27-1 with a 1.14 ERA for Clinton High School;, shortstop Stephanie Meeuwsen (Hillsboro, Ore.), a first-team all-state player at Liberty High School, who hit .447 with a .702 slugging percentage; catcher Morgan Blue (Gardner, Kan.), who hit .339 with a .517 slugging percentage for Gardner-Edgerton High School, which lost in the state finals; infielder/outfielder Jenna Holland (Auburn, Ga.), who was a member of Mile Creek High School's state championship team as a freshman; infielder/catcher Casey Cromwell (Danville, Ill.), who hit. 493 at Danville High School last season; and infielder Lauren Gambone (Canton, Ohio), who hit .419 last season for Canton Central Catholic High School and has been named an all-county player in each of the past two seasons..

"This is a big country," Bruder said. "I want to get the best kid. The student-athletes we signed are not only good players, but good students as well. That's something I believe is very important.

"We want pioneers, someone who wants to be a part of a new program; someone who isn't afraid of challenges. I think these players have those qualities."

Lamar's first practice will be on the first day of the fall session in August.

"I can't wait," Bruder said. "I'll be doing a lot of scouting (of Southland Conference opponents) this spring. But I am eager for practice to begin and for our first game."

LAMAR