The Fort Lewis College softball program has announced a huge early signing class for the 2017-2018 season, which will add to an already young team at FLC.
Skyhawks head coach Elle Fracker and the FLC athletic department issued a press release last week revealing 10 early signees that will join the 15 current freshmen and sophomore players on the roster when they arrive to school next fall.
Taylor Beaman, Madelynne Blood-Smyth, Lexi Dunkelberger, Pilar Gutierrez, Kylie Hefley, McKenna Hefley, Kendra Keahbone, Rylee Owen, Julia Roberts and Kassidy Trumbo have all committed to fly with the ‘Hawks.
“The 2017 class is going to continue to help move this program in a positive direction,” Fracker said in the press release. “We are excited about the diversity, work ethic and passion of all 10 in this class. We cannot wait to get them in the mix with our returners and see what they can do.”
Beaman is two-sport athlete at Arbor View High School in Las Vegas, Nev. She plays multiple positions on the diamond, but was named second-team all-conference for her work behind the plate as a catcher.
Also heading to Durango from the Las Vegas area are twins Kylie and McKenna Helfry. Kylie is three-sport athlete, and McKenna plays four sports at Liberty High School in Henderson, Nevada. Both are first team all-league softball players and honor students.
Blood-Smyth will graduate from Horizon High School in Thornton in the spring. As a starter at catcher and third base, she earned second team all-conference and was a three-year varsity captain. Last season, Blood-Smyth hit safely in 20 of Horizon’s 22 games.
Dunkelberger will also make the journey from the Front Range to FLC. She is a four-year starter in the outfield at Castle View High School in Castle Rock.
Gutierrez plays second base at Peoria, Arizona’s Sunrise Mountain High School. She will be joined by fellow Arizona infielder Julia Roberts of Ironwood Ridge High School in Oro Valley. Roberts plays shortstop and third base and won a state championship last year at Ironwood.
Keahbone, from La Cueva High School in Albuquerque, plays pitcher, outfielder and first base. She pitched a shutout win in the 2016 Metro Championship and her earned run average of 0.87 is third best in New Mexico state history.
Owen is a two-year starter at Del Campo High School in Citrus Heights, California, where she plays first base and catcher.
She will be joined by another California recruit, Kassidy Trumbo, who will come to Fort Lewis from Paraclete High School in Lancaster. Trumbo is a four-year starter at pitcher and first base.
heraldsports@durangoherald.com
