Marshall Softball Signs Five

5/1/2003

HUNTINGTON, W.Va.- Head Coach Shonda Stanton and her staff have announced five additions to their softball roster, effective in the fall of 2003. Gina Guzzo, Abigail Harter, Jennifer Jones, Mandee Luers and Ashley Mitchell have all signed letters of intent to play with the Herd.

“All of these young ladies are quality student-athletes and will be great additions to our program,” head coach Shonda Stanton said. “We are hoping to continue to build upon the tradition we are establishing here.”

Guzzo, a native of Virginia Beach, Va., was a first team All-State catcher at Kempsville High School. The daughter of Old Dominion University baseball coach Tony Guzzo, she hit .458 and threw out 10 of 18 runners while leading Kempsville to the Virginia state quarterfinals. Also a strong student, Guzzo looks to enter the medical field and plans to major in nursing at Marshall.

“Gina is a natural catcher with a great arm and has the skills to make an immediate impact at the Division I level,” Stanton said. “She is very fundamentally sound and will also provide potential power at the plate.”

A 6-foot left-handed pitcher, Harter will look to fit in nicely to Marshall’s rotation next season. The Monmouth, Oregon native is another first team All-State honoree on the Herd’s list. At Santium Christian School she nearly held opposing teams scoreless, sporting a 0.61 earned run average. Harter struck out 49 batters against only 11 walks in 63 innings of work for her Oregon Rain summer team. Another all-around student-athlete, she is interested in studying exercise physiology at Marshall.

“She has great size and speed and offers us a completely new dynamic as a lefty,” MU’s pitching coach Gina Bessolo said. “Harter will most certainly add solid depth to our rotation as a freshman.”

A native of Proctorville, Ohio, Jeni Jones is another local product Stanton will absorb into the Herd program. A left-handed slap hitter, Jones played locally at Fairland High School and for the West Virginia Dusters. The three-time All-Ohio Valley Conference honoree and All-Southeast District selection hit an impressive .447 as a junior and will add to Marshall’s team speed.

“Jones was very well coached under Larry Verbage and the West Virginia Dusters,” Stanton said. “She covers ground well in the outfield and helps us accomplish one of our biggest goals by adding speed to our roster.”

Another great addition to the Herd’s pitching lineup, Luers is from Dover, Ohio. She boasts a 16-5 record in her senior season at Dover High School. The right-hander struck out 169 batters in 144 innings on the mound and sported a 0.53 ERA. She played summer ball with the IIY Hurricanes. Another talented student, she plans to major in adult fitness upon her arrival in the fall. Leurs was a member of her school’s student council and was actively involved in the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.

“Mandee will come in and provide depth with a multi-purpose role and in the pitching lineup,” Bessolo said. “She is a determined athlete with a solid work ethic. With good speed on her pitches we look for her to continue to develop in a Marshall uniform.”

Mitchell comes to Huntington as a former Harrison High teammate of current MU players Amanda and Jessica Williams. The 5-foot-9-inch left-handed slapper will add tremendous speed to Marshall’s already potent offensive lineup. With a .361 batting average, Mitchell has helped establish her high school program as one of the most successful programs in the state. The Kennesaw, Ga. native played summer ball for the West Cobb Mavericks, leading them to a third place finish in the ASA national qualifier. Mitchell also covers ground well and looks to fill a position in the outfield for the Herd. Another outstanding student, she has been involved with various organizations and is interested in studying psychology.

“It is rare to find a player of Ashley’s stature who can run so well,” Stanton said. “She is a natural athlete who will look to fine tune her slap and become a torrid offensive threat from the left side.”

With an already talented core of returnees, Marshall softball and head coach Shonda Stanton are certainly taking steps to ensure their continued success.