Nov. 18, 2014
COLUMBIA, S.C. – South Carolina inked six future softball student-athletes to National Letters of Intent during the fall signing period, with the group set to first don the Garnet and Black during the 2015-16 academic year. The class was ranked sixth in the nation by FullCountSoftball.com.
“I am excited about our six new additions to the Gamecock Softball family,” said South Carolina head coach Beverly Smith. “With the signing of this class, I believe we have strengthened every defensive position on the field and added gifted hitters and speed to the offensive side. Not only have we signed the athletes that will help us on the field, but students who will excel in the classroom and represent Gamecock Nation in a first-class manner. This is a special group, and I can’t wait for them wear the Garnet and Black!”
Kennedy Clark, an outfielder from Chino Hills, Calif., hails from the same SoCal Athletics team that produced Gamecocks Kaylea Snaer and Hayley Copeland. A two-time first-team all-league member, she hit .424 as a junior at Ayala High School. She won two national titles with her previous travel-ball squad OC Batbusters. She chose the Gamecocks because she wanted to play against the best competition.
Jessica Elliot, a pitcher from Orlando, Fla., finished third in NJCAA Division I in strikeouts last spring, posting 235 K’s in 193 innings. She went 20-5 with a 1.89 ERA as a freshman for Chipola College, earning second-team NFCA NJCAA Division I All-South region honors. The 5-9 right-handed pitcher played previously at Olympia High School in Orlando, where she earned All-Metro Conference West honors once.
Lex Hull, a catcher from Louisville, Ky., was a part of the 2012 14U ASA Champion squad with her travel-ball club TN Fury 97. A four-year letter-winner for Ballard High School, Hull is a two-time Kentucky Softball Coaches Association All-State honorable mention. With her senior season to play, she’s in the top five in the Lady Bruins’ record book for hits, doubles, triples, home runs, RBI and walks.
Alexis Mack, a second baseman from Brecksville, Ohio, garnered second-team All-America status from the National Fastpitch Coaches Association last year. A three-time NFCA All-Region performer, she’s also earned three all-state, all-district and all-conference honors as well. She hit .670 last year, the fifth-highest batting average in Ohio High School softball history, and she’s stolen 57, 48 and 50 bases the past three years for Brecksville-Broadview Heights High School. As a part of the Beverly Bandits travel-ball team under coach Bill Conroy, Mack helped the team win the Premier Girls Fastpitch 16U national title in 2013. She also garnered an NFCA Scholar-Athlete award.
Kenzi Maguire, a shortstop from Hudson, Fla., earned first-team MaxPreps Medium Schools All-America honors as a junior. The three-time first-team all-conference player garnered the player of the year award from the league as well while playing at River Ridge High School in New Port Richey, Fla. The Tampa Bay Times Softball Player of the Year in 2014, she has made the honor roll the past three years. She’s also made the Sunshine Athletic Conference All-Academic Team for three years running in both softball and volleyball.
Summer Wallace, a pitcher and outfielder from Bremen, Ga., is a three-time all-region and four-time all-area honoree at Bremen High School. Just finishing her senior season, she has been nominated to play in the 2014 Georgia Dugout Club Senior All-Star Team. She helped the Lady Blue Devils finish first in their region during her senior season. Wallace is also a member of the National Honor Society.
The Gamecocks begin their 2015 season on Feb. 6 in the Pirate Classic hosted by East Carolina, facing Longwood at 12:30 p.m. The first of 31 scheduled home contests comes against UCF on Wed., Feb. 11 at 4 p.m.
