Gardner-Webb Softball Inks Four in Early Signing Period
December 08, 2010 | Softball
Boiling Springs, N.C. - The Gardner-Webb softball coaching staff in conjunction with the Gardner-Webb athletics department is pleased to announce the signings of Taylar Pridgen, Kellie Beres, Savannah Burns and Amanda Gomes to National Letters of Intent to continue both their athletic and academic careers at Gardner-Webb University come next fall.
"We are all very excited about our 2011 recruiting class. Each of these young ladies will come into our program with talents and abilities that will definitely make us stronger. They are all extremely athletic as they can each play multiple positions, and play them well," stated head coach Tom Cole. "They are also strong academically, and with their characters, personalities and attitudes, will fit in well with Gardner-Webb University, and specifically the Gardner-Webb softball program. We feel very blessed to have such a talented and athletic recruiting class coming to Gardner-Webb next year."
Pridgen, who comes to GWU from Trinity, N.C., is a 5'8" versatile player that splits time at shortstop and behind the plate at Wheatmore High School under coaches Rick Halo and Ronnie House. Last season as a junior, Pridgen posted a .512 batting average and swiped nine bases on the season in which she was tabbed All-District, All-State, All-County and the team's best offensive player. Pridgen, who has lettered all three years thus far in her career at Wheatmore High, is also a member of the Team TFS club team under head coach Robert Powell, where last year she recorded a .496 batting average and 23 stolen bases.
"I saw Taylar Pridgen catching during travel ball prior to her junior year. Her speed and athleticism were what attracted me," commented Cole. "Then this past summer when I was allowed to begin talking with her I knew that she was someone I definitely wanted playing for me. A lot of major Division I programs were interested in Taylar and I feel very blessed to have had her choose Gardner-Webb."
Beres is a 5'3" outfielder and pitcher from Greenville, N.C. where she played at JH Rose under head coach Chris Gaddy. Beres, whose older sister played for four years at nearby Belmont Abbey College, is a three-time All-Conference selection and a three-time All-District selection. Beres, who was an honorable mention All-State 4-A selection her freshman year, was named to the All-State team and the Daily Reflector First Team last year as a junior. The two-time Rose High Softball Team MVP was also named as the Daily Reflector Pitcher of the Year her sophomore season, when she posted a 1.23 ERA for the season. Last year as a junior, Beres posted a .350 batting average, a .460 on-base percentage and 23 stolen bases offensively, while in the circle she tallied 14 wins, 183 strikeouts, and a 1.15 ERA over 153 innings pitched.
Beres, who also plays for the Lady Blues - Threatt club team under coaches Rodney Threatt and Moni Armendarez that placed seventh overall at both the 2009 and 2008 18u ASA "A" Nationals and was the 2010 Hot Times Tournament Champions, is a North Carolina Scholar and a member of both the National Honor Society and the Art Honor Society.
"Kellie Beres has been a talented young lady ever since Coach Reichert first saw her play during the summer of 2008. But, in the past year, Kellie blossomed into an exceptionally talented player. I have no doubt that her competitiveness had a lot to do with this," remarked Cole. "Kellie is fast, tenacious, and feisty; everything that I like. I definitely see her being an asset for us on the mound, in the outfield, and at the plate."
Burns, who comes to Gardner-Webb from Hickory, N.C. and Fred T. Foard High School where she plays under head coach Jennifer Cook, is a 5'3" shortstop with a very solid glove. Burns, who is a three-time All-Conference selection, is a two-time Defensive Player of the Year award winner and won the Offensive Player of the Year Award as a freshman. Burns, who won the Leadership Award last year as a junior, posted a .984 fielding percentage, while hitting .498 with 23 RBIs at the plate for Fred T. Foard. Last year for her Foothills Heat club team and head coach Barry Latham, Burns posted a .978 fielding percentage, while recording a .531 batting average and 17 RBIs at the plate.
Burns, who has also played for the Smokey Mountain Sting under coach Stan Arrington and the Catawba River Rage club team and coach Mike Carpenter, is a Wendy's Heisman High School Winner, a Junior Marshall, a member of the Beta Club and the honor roll, a Journalism Award Winner and a North Carolina Scholar recipient.
"I first saw Savannah Burns this past summer and just by watching her take pre-game warm-up she showed me a great glove, soft hands and a strong arm. She was playing shortstop and I liked her right away," stated Cole. "She also showed me that she was a team leader in that she was there for her teammates, and that she expected only the best from herself. She is also very athletic. I am very glad that Savannah has chosen to come to Gardner-Webb."
Gomes is a 5'4" catcher from J.P. Taravella High School in Coral Springs, Florida where she has played under coaches Mark Montimurro and Doug Huffman. Gomes, who has been voted to the All-Broward County High School Varsity Softball Team in each of the last three years by both the Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel News and the Miami Herald News Publication, is on pace to break multiple high school varsity softball all-time records at J.P. Taravella High heading into her senior year this season. Gomes, who started every game behind the plate for the first two years before missing contests last year as a junior with a hand injury, has helped to guide her team to the 11-6A District Finals and Regional Playoffs in each of the last three years. The three-time varsity Softball Team MVP and the three-time Best Defensive Player Award recipient was he Broward County Class 11-4A, 11-5A and 11-6A overall RBI and homeruns leaders last year in which she posted a .450 batting average with four homeruns and 33 RBIs. The two-time Silver Slugger Award winner also led all Broward County 11-4A, 11-5A and 11-6A classes in RBIs and homeruns as a sophomore in which she hit .538 with seven homeruns and 42 RBIs.
Gomes, who also plays for the Calusa Lightning Gold Travel club team under head coach John Robinson and Sunrise Thunder Gold Travel club team and coach Bernie Giannetti, led her team in batting average, RBIs, and homeruns with a .552 average, 15 homeruns and 105 RBIs, is a 2009 National Scholar Award recipient and was invited to play on the USA Athletes International Team in both 2010 and 2009.
"When I first saw Amanda Gomes play this past summer I was impressed with both her offensive and defensive skills, but what I was also very impressed with was her passion, enthusiasm, and great attitude," commented Cole. "Amanda obviously loves the game of softball, but in getting to know her, I found out that this great attitude that I saw on the field is just the way Amanda is. She has a great personality, is fun to be around, and plays the game the way it is meant to be played. Amanda will be a great asset to the Gardner-Webb softball program, and she will be a great fit to Gardner-Webb University in general."
The Runnin' Bulldog softball team will open up its 2011 season with a double-header scrimmage against Spartanburg Methodist at home on Saturday, February 12th, at 1 p.m. at Varsity Field. Gardner-Webb's regular season opener will be on Wednesday, February 16th, at USC Upstate in Spartanburg, S.C.
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