By Bobby Neal for App State Sports. BOONE, N.C. — App State softball has added eight newcomers to the 2023-24 roster, head coach Shelly Hoerner announced Wednesday.
“We are excited about this 2023 class,” Hoerner said. “We have spent much time getting to know them on and off the field, which will help us coach them to great success. We want to know what makes them tick so we can get the most out of them. These eight exemplify what we are all about at App State softball: blue-collar, grit, competitive and ‘ALL IN’-culture players. Their talent will continue to help elevate our program to what we have already been building here on the mountain. We love what they bring to the field and their character even more.”
Grace Barrett
Milton, Ga. / Cambridge High School
During her four years as a varsity starter at Cambridge, Barrett was named first-team all-region twice and earned honorable mentions for the team during the two previous years. During her senior year, she was named all-region in the pitcher and shortstop positions. She was also named the pitcher of the year. Barrett was also named to the Gold Glove team for her impressive play at shortstop. She was the MVP of her team as a junior, which led to her role as a captain during her senior year. In four years and 329 plate appearances, Barrett struck out only six times, earning a combined batting average of .403 during her last two seasons. Barrett also pitched during the last two years, earning an OPS of 1.027 and an ERA of 2.13. She held opponents to a .205 batting average and earned a WHIP of 1.05 while facing 603 batters. Barrett played travel ball with Georgia Power – Tuñon where she batted .411 with 35 runs and 31 RBIs, helping the team win the 2022 Alliance Fastpitch Open national championship.
“Grace is going to impact our program and fit in right away,” Hoerner said. “She is very athletic, has a high IQ for the game and is a very talented softball player. Her athleticism allows her to play almost any position on the field and excel. She is a great fundamental defender with a plus arm. At the plate, we look for Grace to be a gap-to-gap hitter who will always find a way to get the job done.”
Ava Beamesderfer
York, Pa. / Central York High School
Beamesderfer was named to the PIAA 6A all-state second team as a junior and was twice named the YAIAA Division I pitcher of the year for her assistance in two straight Division I championships in the league. During her junior year, she was named MaxPreps Pennsylvania State athlete of the week. Beamesderfer was also a player on the team that won the 2022 MLB RBI World Series championship. She finished her second season with a combined pitching record of 31-5 with a 1.85 ERA and a batting average of .404. In travel ball, she played with Bandits Elite-Premier (2022-23), PA Chaos Gold (2021-22) and VA Glory National (2018-21). In 2022, she helped PA Chaos to a third-place finish at the Boulder IDT.
“Ava will add depth to our already strong pitching staff,” Hoerner said. “We look to have her complement our other pitchers with her off-speed and change of speeds. She is a down-ball pitcher, a perfect fit here in the mountains. Ava will bring a ton of energy and personality to our team.”
Taylor Chumbley
Georgetown, Ind. / Floyd Central High School
During her junior year, Chumbley was named to the all-state and all-conference teams, while also being named the “Homerun Queen” for her 17 big flies, along with a batting average of .398 and 35 RBIs. She was also a finalist for the News and Tribune softball player of the year award. During her time with Fusion Softball, Chumbley batted at .367 with an OBP of .420. She had 29 hits, three home runs and 23 RBIs.
“Taylor will add power to our lineup,” Hoerner said. “She swings a big bat and we look for her to come in and compete for that DP spot immediately. She will be another player that can play a few different positions, whether it be first base, outfield or catching.”
Macy Hamby
Ellijay, Ga. / Gilmer High School
A four-year letterman at third base, Hamby was named first-team all-region every year of her high school career and was named to the all-state team as a sophomore. On the field, she posted a career batting average of .415 and had 16 home runs, making her a twice-recipient of offensive awards. This season, Hamby was named the MVP of her high school team. In travel ball, Hamby was a two-time MVP and offensive player of the year during her time with the Georgia Power Fastpitch – Tuñon softball club. Last season, she averaged .435 at bat in club play and hit 19 home runs. Over her three years in travel ball, Hamby totaled 32 home runs and an overall batting average of .425.
“Macy will come in and be an immediate impact for us in the infield,” Hoerner said. “Defensively, she is quick and can cover a lot of ground with a plus arm. Offensively, she has worked extremely hard on her swing. The results she has had in the past few years have shown this with the power she has displayed. Macy is not only a gritty ball player but is mentally tough, a student of the game, extremely athletic and all in for App State softball.”
Brooke Kennerly
Mount Ulla, N.C. / West Rowan High School
A catcher who played in-state at West Rowan, Kennerly was named to the all-state and all-conference teams last season and earned two all-county and all-district selections in high school. She also won the Hot Stove Catcher Award and the Little League World Series Catcher Award for her work behind the plate, while her team was a two-time runner-up in the Little League World Series. At the plate, Kennerly never had a batting average below .400 in a season and earned 10 total home runs and 62 RBIs. She played travel ball for the Bandit Elite Premier-Simpson club team, posting a .410 OBP, three home runs and 22 RBIs in 2022.
“Brooke is an outstanding catcher that comes to us as a natural leader behind the plate,” Hoerner said. “She directs the game very well and we look for her to show some power at the plate along with consistency in the alleys.”
Jenna Samuel
Slidell, La. / Northshore High School
Nationally ranked as the 63rd-best player in the class of 2023, Samuel has had a stellar high school career on the mound. She was twice named the District MVP, along with being selected to the 5A all-district team. She also earned two consecutive spots on the all-metro team and the all-state Tammany Parish team, where she was named both the hitter of the year and the pitcher of the year. In 2022 alone, Samuel issued 220 strikeouts (355 in her career) with an IP of 161 and an ERA of 1.909. On the other side of the ball, she has batted above .450 every year of her career while hitting 26 home runs and tallying 112 RBIs. Samuel played travel ball for five seasons with D1vision, a team that was nationally ranked in the top 30 by Extra Innings. In 2022, they placed 5th in the PGF Nationals after finishing 13th the year before. Samuel totaled a 2.41 ERA with 272 strikeouts over her five seasons with the club. She also had a batting average of .425 with 107 RBIs and 31 home runs. During the 2022 PGF in Huntington, Ca., Samuel finished with a .955 ERA, a .344 batting average and two home runs.
“Jenna is a competitor that will be very versatile for us,” Hoerner said. “She loves the ball and will add depth to our pitching staff. She commands all 4 quadrants of the zone while keeping hitters off balance with different speeds. Jenna is a threat at the plate with her power and we look for her to make an immediate impact offensively.”
Summer Simpson
Mocksville, N.C. / Davie County High School
Simpson was twice named to the all-conference and all-district teams for her play in the middle infield, while once garnering all-state honors. She also earned the Hot Stove Gamer award for her region and was the co-offensive player of the year. During her junior year, Simpson batted an average of .476 while earning 27 RBIs, 17 walks, 15 stolen bases and five home runs. During club play, she also played with the Bandits Elite Premier -Simpson team, where she averaged .400 in the summer with an OBP of .442. In the fall so far, Simpson has earned a batting average of .538 with an OBP of .571.
“Summer will be very versatile for us,” Hoerner said. “She comes to us as a middle infielder but can play the outfield and gives us additional speed. She is a student of the game who works extremely hard and will do whatever it takes to help the team succeed.”
Jaylee Williams
Bear Creek, N.C. / Chatham Central High School
As a junior, Williams was selected as the 2022 Mid-Carolina 1A-2A Conference player of the year, while also being named to the all-conference team. The N.C. native was also selected as the MVP of her team while earning an incredible batting average of .600. Williams plays for the Bandits Elite Premier club under Gary Simpson where she batted .571 in the summer and .533 so far this fall. Prior to playing with the Bandits, Jaylee played under Nate Eaton and Team NC, a highly reputable travel team.
“Jaylee will come to the mountain and provide immediate speed to our lineup,” Hoerner said. “Defensively, she runs a lot of balls down in the outfield with a very accurate arm. At the plate, we look for her to be another spark plug with a high on-base percentage and great bat-to-ball skills.”
