Softball Inks Four Prep Athletes for 2011

Nov. 17, 2009

HATTIESBURG, Miss. - The Golden Eagle softball team signed four prep athletes to their national letter of intent and grant-in-aid for the 2011 season, head coach Howard Dobson announced today.

Joining the Southern Miss family is Taylor Brown, a first baseman/outfielder from Cypress, Texas, Brittany Lilly, a third baseman from Houston, MacKenzie Sher, a catcher from Bellaire, Texas and Kayla Stanley, a utility player from Oak Grove HS in Hattiesburg, Miss.

"We are excited about all four of these players joining our program," Dobson said. "All four ladies will add immediate depth to our program and offensive power to our lineup."

Brown comes to the Black and Gold from Cypress Springs High School in Cypress, Texas where she is a three-time all-district selection while twice leading her team in batting average, she hit .405 as a freshman and .580 in her sophomore campaign.

She also played for the Texas Eclipse Gold travel team which participated in the 2009 ASA Gold National Championships in Oklahoma City, OK.

"Taylor will add a left-handed power hitter to our lineup," Dobson said. "She is a gap-to-gap double type hitter we were looking for from the left side that could play first base or outfield."

Lilly comes to Southern Miss from M.B. Lamar High School where she has been the starting third baseman and an all-district selection the previous three seasons. As a freshman she led the district with a .555 average while swiping 20 bases, which was tops on her team. In her sophomore campaign she hit .576 while leading the greater Houston area in extra base hits (25 double, 15 triples and four home runs). She earned her third consecutive all-district selection as a junior, hitting .400 with seven doubles and three triples.

She played on the Texas Storm DeMarini Gold Summer Team, with current Golden Eagles players Leslie LeJune and Beth Dietrich, and reached the 2008 ASA Gold Nationals.

"Brittany is a gap-to-gap, doubles type hitter that runs pretty well also," Dobson said. "She plays third base but could play the outfield for us as well."

Sher is a catcher out of Bellaire HS in Bellaire, Texas where she is a three-time all-district selection and as a freshman in 2007 she was selected Newcomer of the Year. As a sophomore in 2008 she blasted 10 home runs, which led the Houston area for long balls. She followed with her junior season, in which she blasted eight more home runs and hit .390.

She also played on the Texas Eclipse Gold travel team, with fellow signee Taylor Brown.

"We are looking for MacKenzie to come in and compete for our catching spot right away," Dobson said "She was thought of as only a defensive specialist early on, but she has developed into a power hitter. Look for her to be right in the middle of our lineup in the future."

Southern Miss did not have to go very far to find their last signee, from just down the road at Oak Grove High school. Kayla Stanley becomes the latest Oak Grove player to join the Golden Eagles, along with current players Courtney Hill, Megan Hill and Logan James.

Stanley is a three-time all district selection and a five-year letter winner while serving as the team captain the previous three season for the Warriors. As an eighth grader she was a starter for the 2006 5A state Championship team. She is a true utility player who has started at seven different positions in her high school career and boasts a .980 career fielding percentage. As a junior last year she hit .390 with 29 RBI and eight triples.

"Kayla can do a little bit of everything," said Dobson. "She can catch, play in the infield or outfield as well. On top of her versatility in the field, she is a very good hitter as well."