Softball signs five to National Letters of Intent

MOREHEAD, Ky. -- Lindsay Anderson, Helyna Bissell, Allison Davis, Cassie Griffin, and Amber Null have signed National Letters of Intent with the Morehead State softball program.  All five student-athletes will be freshmen during the 2016-17 school year.

"We are excited about this year's signees," said Head Coach David Williams. "These young ladies are quality people off the field and talented players on the field.  They will help us as we continue to build this program into a contender for Ohio Valley Conference championships."

Anderson joins the Eagles from Woodford County (Ky.) High School.  The infielder hit .412 and had an on-base percentage of .472, with 22 runs, 17 RBI, and nine doubles as a junior. A native of Frankfort, she was named to the 11th Region All-Tournament Team as a sophomore and junior, and was named to the 41st District All-Tournament Team as a junior.

"Lindsay has a very good approach at the plate and possesses a very good eye for the ball," said Williams. "Her understanding of the strike zone and situational hitting will be key in many offensive situations. We are fortunate to gain a well-rounded individual who excels both on and off the field."

Bissell comes to MSU from Lodi Immaculate Conception High School (N.J.).  The infielder tallied a .400 batting average, .536 on-base percentage, 37 runs, 19 RBI, 11 doubles, and four home runs as a junior.  A native of Nutley, N.J., she was an all-state selection as a sophomore, and a Super Essex All-Conference Selection and an Essex All-County Selection as a sophomore and junior.

As a sophomore, she led her team to a New Jersey A Non-Public State Championship.

"Helyna has a lot of experience playing in major travel tournaments across the country," said Williams. "Having faced top-level competition should prepare her to come in and contribute immediately. She has the ability to hit for contact and drive the ball in gaps to produce runs. She will add depth to our corner positions in the infield."

Davis joins the MSU program after playing several positions at Madisonville North Hopkins High School (Ky.).  She batted .358, posted a .416 on-base percentage and a .974 fielding percentage as a junior.  A native of Madisonville, Ky., she was named All-District and Academic All-State as a sophomore and junior, and she has been named Academic All-District all three years.

"Allison is a versatile player who can provide depth in a variety of areas for our program," said Williams. "Defensively, she can play several positions effectively. Offensively, she has the ability to create scoring opportunities with her speed. Her dedication and desire is infectious and we look forward to the contributions she will make."

Griffin comes to MSU from Central Carroll High School (Ga.).  The outfielder hit .390 with 19 stolen bases, 27 RBI, 34 runs, and a 1.000 fielding percentage as a junior, and followed that with a .429 average, 13 stolen bases, 35 RBI, 20 runs, and a 1.000 fielding percentage as a senior. A native of Carrollton, Ga., she was named Team MVP, First-Team All-Region and First-Team All-State as a junior.

"Cassie has a special combination of speed and power," said Williams. "Her skill set and ability to hit for contact should prove beneficial to our program offensively. On defense, she has a very consistent glove and strong understanding of the game. Combine all of that with a winning mentality and you have a very solid player."

Null joins the Eagles after playing at Hurricane High School (W.Va.).  The outfielder batted .403 with 14 doubles, a triple, four home runs, 30 RBI, 40 runs, and a .449 on-base percentage as a junior. The Hurricane, W.Va., native was named to the All-Kanawha Valley Rookie Team as a freshman, tabbed All-Kanawha Valley as a sophomore, All-State Honorable Mention as a sophomore and junior, and AAA All-State Tournament as a junior.

She helped lead Hurricane to a West Virginia AAA State Championship as a freshman and junior.

"Amber is the product of a strong high school program, having already won two state championships," said Williams. "She knows what it takes to be a champion and produce at a high level daily. She contributes offensively in so many ways, that she makes herself such a valuable asset. Her addition strengthens the depth within our lineup."

Morehead State opens its 2016 season in early February.  The full schedule is available at MSUEagles.com.

Photo captions from top to bottom -- Lindsay Anderson, Helyna Bissell, Allison Davis, Cassie Griffin, and Amber Null.