University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
Softball Announces Five Early Signees
11/16/2005 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Nov. 16, 2005
HATTIESBURG, Miss. - Southern Miss Head Softball Coach Gay McNutt announced the signing of five players today to a national letter of intent and grant-in-aid for the 2006-07 academic year.
McNutt signed three players from Oak Grove HS in Hattiesburg, Miss, Megan Hill (5-8, OF), Holly Milner (5-3, OF) and Logan James (5-5, INF). In addition, she signed Brittany Wright (6-2, SS), from Madison Central HS in Madison, Miss., along with Brandi Alonzo (5-2, SS) from Franklinton HS in Franklinton, La.
"Overall, it's one of the most talented classes we've had, and it will bring a wealth of high school experience and success to our program," McNutt said. "This was a class that will have some big shoes to fill and I feel that they are capable of doing that. Getting the four players from Mississippi is also big. We're going to get a lot of fan support, especially from Oak Grove and we're very excited."
Hill is a three-year starter and letterwinner at Oak Grove. She helped Oak Grove to a 25-4-2 record in 2005, as the team won the 5A South State Championship and the 5A District 8 championship, before ending the year as the runners up in the 5A state championship game.
She led the team in hits as a junior and sophomore, finishing with 42 hits (10 doubles, six triples and six home runs) last season, while leading the team with a .532 batting average, 43 RBI and slugging percentage (1.038). She was the Hattiesburg American's Fast Pitch Player of the Year in 2005, and named to the All-Star team. In addition, she was tabbed first team All-State, first team all-district, and 2005 best outfielder.
As a sophomore in 2004, she was an All-State Selection and a member of the 2004 Hattiesburg American All-Star Team, helping Oak Grove to a 25-4 record and the 5A State Championship. She led the team with a .438 batting average, earning All-South honors. Hill was also selected to the MHSAA Scholar Academic team.
In 2003, she helped Oak Grove win the 5A District 8 Division 5 championship, as the team was the South State runners up, finishing with a 22-3 record. She was a member of the MHSAA Scholar Academic team.
Hill also lettered three years volleyball and two years in basketball at Oak Grove.
She also played travel ball for the Southern Storm of Mississippi this past summer, finishing in the top eight at the ASA/USA Softball Junior Olympic Girls 18 & Under `A' Fastpitch National Championship in Columbus, Ga. She batted .423 with 47 hits, including a team-leading seven home runs, eight doubles and two triples. She was second on the team with 46 RBI. Hill also played two summers with Oak Grove Extreme Heat in 2002 and 2004.
She is the daughter of Moses and Shirley Hill.
"Megan has great size and moves well on the bases," McNutt said. "She has a great arm and will make a major impact in the outfield."
Milner helped Oak Grove to a 25-4-2 record in 2005, as the team won the 5A South State Championship and the 5A District 8 championship, before ending the year as the runners up in the 5A state championship game. She ended last season with a .345 batting average, earning all-district honors and the team's best base-running award. She was also selected to the MHSAA Scholar Academic Team.
As a sophomore in 2004, she earned all-state, all-south state and all-district honors, and was a member of the 2004 Hattiesburg American All-Star team, helping Oak Grove to a 25-4 record and the 5A State Championship. She won the team's outfield award, and was selected to the MHSAA Scholar Academic Team.
In 2003, she earned the team's best outfielder award, as the team finished with a 22-3 record and won the 5A District 8 Division 5 championship. The team also was the runner up in South State and advanced to the 5A South State championship game.
Milner also lettered in soccer at Oak Grove.
She played travel ball with Oak Grove Extreme Heat for three summers. She played with Southern Storm of Mississippi travel team this past summer and helped the team finish with a 47-5-2 record. The team finished in the top eight at the ASA/USA , as she batted .380 with 49 hits, while leading the team in stolen bases with 23.
She is the daughter of Angela Pace and Brent Milner.
"Holly is very athletic, strong and quick," McNutt said. "She will also make an impact out in our outfield."
James helped Oak Grove to a 25-4-2 record in 2005, as the team won the 5A South State and 5A District 8 Division 5A championship, before ending the season as the 5A state runners up. She earned All-District honors, and was named to the MHSAA Scholar Academic Team. She hit .394 in 2005, with 35 hits and 30 RBI.
As a sophomore in 2004, she was an All-State, All-South State and all-district selection, helping Oak Grove to a 25-4 record and the 5A State Championship. James was also named to the Hattiesburg American's All-Star team and a member of the MHSAA Scholar Academic team.
In 2003, she was selected to the Hattiesburg American's All-Star team, as the team finished with a 22-3 record and won the 5A District 8 Division 5 championship. The team also was the runner up in South State and advanced to the 5A South State championship game. James also earned all-district honors. She received the team RBI award, and was selected to the MHSAA Scholar Academic team.
James played travel ball for the Extreme Heat for the past six summers, also playing on the 18-U ASA State runner-up team. The 2005 team won the 18-U ASA `B' National Championship in Ridgeland, Miss.
She is the daughter of Lavon and Tammy James.
"Logan is steady and consistent," McNutt said. "She plays hard, and stays cool and collected."
Wright is a four-year letterwinner in softball for Coach Ashleigh Hicks at Madison Central HS, seeing action at third base, shortstop and in the outfield. As a junior, she hit .384, with 29 hits, 19 RBI, four home runs, five doubles, two triples and 25 runs scored, helping Madison Central to a 23-5 record and second round appearance in north state. She had an on-base percentage of .477 and a slugging percentage of .671. Wright earned All-State honors, and was a Pop Star Award nominee (given to the top three softball athletes in the state).
As a sophomore, she hit .533, with 49 hits, 18 doubles, three triples, five home runs, 39 RBI, 15 walks, a .582 on-base percentage and a .793 slugging percentage, leading her team to a 29-3 record, losing to Oak Grove in the state championship game. She was named one of The Clarion Ledger's Players of the Week.
In 2003 as a freshman, she hit .442, with 42 hits, eight doubles, 20 RBI, a .450 slugging percentage and a slugging percentage of .526, as Madison Central finished with a 27-5 record and second round appearance in north state. She was selected as a player of the week by The Clarion Ledger.
She played travel ball for the Eclipse. In 2004, her team advanced to the USFA National Championship game. Her team won the ASA state championship (10-U, 12-U, 14-U and 16-U), winning the state championship twice (2004, 2005). She hit .398 during in 2004, with 40 RBI, 12 doubles, five triples and seven homeruns, with an on-base percentage of .426 and slugging percentage of .539. She hit .525 in 2003, with five doubles and five RBI.
She was also a four-year letterwinner in volleyball, earning All-State honors in 2005.
Wright is the daughter of Harold and Debbie Wright.
"Brittany has the potential to be big time player," McNutt said. "She's got great size at 6'2. We're going to put her at shortstop and see what she can do."
Alonzo is a three-year letterwinner and starter at Franklinton HS in Franklinton, La. She will play her senior season at Parkview Baptist School.
As a junior in 2005, she helped Franklinton HS advance to the first round of the playoffs. She earned first team all-district honors, as she led Frankliington HS to a second place finish District 9-3A.
In 2004, she also earned first-team all-district honors, also earning honorable-mention all-district honors as a freshman.
Alonzo also lettered three years in basketball, earning all-district honors as a junior and sophomore. Named the Gatorade "Rookie of the Year" as a freshman and lettered one season in track, finishing second at regionals in the 4x400 relay, also finishing second in the 1600 meter run.
She played travel ball for the Louisiana Crushers, helping the team win the 2005 Tour Des Amis Tournament, Texas AFA State Tournament, while participating in the Rising Stars exposure tournament and Ronald McDonald exposure tournament.
In 2004, she helped the team finish 30th out of 133 teams in the AFA 18-U nationals, win the NSA 18-U state championship, win the ASA 16-U Southwest Regional Championship and finish as the ASA 16-U state runners up. She hit .245, with 26 hits, six doubles, three triples, one home runs, 20 stolen bases and seven RBI.
Alonzo, named Who's Who Among American High School students, is the daughter of Joe and Donna Alonzo.
"Brandi is versatile and fast," McNutt said. "She's not the biggest player, but she swings a big bat."
Southern Miss opens its 2006 softball season in Honolulu, Hawaii, playing BYU on Feb. 9 at 10 a.m.
