Times are incredibly bright for the Oregon softball program.
Set to open the 2016 season with the new Jane Sanders Stadium, the program on Thursday signed the No. 1 recruiting class in the nation. The Ducks — three-time defending Pac-12 champions — will add five student-athletes to campus next year.
The Ducks signed pitchers Miranda Elish and Maggie Balint while also adding infielder Shannon Rhodes, first baseman/outfielder Mia Camuso and outfielder Haley Cruse to the program.
Elish is the No. 1 ranked recruit in the nation. Balint is ranked No. 4 overall while Rhodes is No. 8 and Camuso No. 18, all according to FloSoftball.com.
“A couple late commitments added to a big time class for us,” head coach Mike White said in a news release. “We were able to land two really strong pitchers. I am really thrilled with this class.
“We have some very talented seniors graduating this year and this recruiting class will help us quickly reload.”
Miranda Elish — RHP (Crown Point, Indiana)
Elish, the No. 1 recruit in the nation is a two-time Indiana Gatorade player of the year. Last season, she had a 0.65 ERA and a 15-1 record with 198 strikeouts. Elish has given up two home runs as a high school pitcher.
“Miranda lives for the big moments,” White said in the release. “She always wants the ball and always wants to be up to bat in crucial spots in the game. She throws very hard and works well down in the zone.”
Maggie Balint — RHP (West Grove, Pennsylvania)
Balint, like Elish, is a two-time Gatorade player of the year in her home state of Pennsylvania. She finished last season with a 19-4 record and a 0.35 ERA. At the plate, she hit .493 with three home runs and 18 RBIs. She had a perfect game her sophomore year of high school, striking out 19 of 21 batters in the opening round of the state playoffs.
“Maggie is almost a carbon copy of Miranda (Elish),” White said in a release. “She’s a bulldog — the bigger the challenge, the better she pitchers.”
Mia Camuso — 1B/OF (Redding, California)
Camuso was a named the top junior in California by Cal-Hi Sports. She earned CIF Northern Section MVP honors in 2015 after hitting .604 at the plate with 16 homers, 15 doubles and 61 RBIs, good for the section triple crown.
“Mia is small in stature but big in power,” White said in the release. “We think she could play either outfielder or first base for us. She’s a lefty with great power and we feel very fortunate to land her.”
Haley Cruse — OF (San Diego, California)
Cruse was a three-time first team all-Avocado East League selection while hitting .436 in 26 games last year for Del Norte High School. She scored 30 times and tallied 13 RBIs.
“She committed to us very late, just last week,” White said in the release. “She will bring a lot of experience and athleticism to our team. She has a ton of speed.”
Shannon Rhodes — Infielder (Ft. Worth, Texas)
Rhodes — the No. 6 recruit nationally — hit .462 at the plate. She had 60 hits, 53 runs and 33 RBIs. She tacked on 11 homers and was 28-of-29 on stolen base attempts. Rhodes received first team all-Metroplex and Texas Girls Coaching Association 5A all-state honors last year.
“She runs very well for a player with her strength and power,” White said in the release. “She’s a true utility player, could play all over the field for us. She’s a very intelligent ballplayer, outstanding IQ for the game.”
Follow Jonathan Hawthorne on Twitter @Jon_Hawthorne
Oregon softball inks five-member recruiting class; ranked No. 1 in the nation
Jonathan Hawthorne
November 12, 2015
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