Softball Inks Nation’s No. 22 Recruiting Class For 2017

GREENVILLE, N.C. – Second-year East Carolina softball head coach Courtney Oliver has signed six student-athletes to national letters of intent to attend the University and compete for the Pirates beginning in the 2017-18 academic year.

Flosoftball.com has tabbed the group No. 22 in the nation – the first time ECU has boasted a nationally-ranked recruiting class in softball.

"We are very excited about this class," Oliver said. "It's a very talented group that has a great deal of potential and the ability to fill our needs. We are anticipating that this incoming class will have an immediate impact on the success of our program."

Anna Epling | Catcher | 5-7 | Winston-Salem, N.C. (West Forsyth)

Will play her third season of varsity softball this spring at West Forsyth High School under head coach Kevin Baity
Roped a walkoff double that allowed the Titans to clinch the 2016 North Carolina 4A state title with a 4-3 victory over Cape Fear High School
Earned all-conference and all-district honors her junior season while collecting all-conference, all-district and all-state accolades as a sophomore
Hit .402 with 42 RBI and six home runs last season as state champion West Forsyth tallied a 30-2 overall record and finished the year No. 16 nationally in the MaxPreps XCellent 25 Ranking
Produced a .435 batting average, 24 RBI and two home runs her sophomore campaign
Competed for head coach John Corn as a member of the Lady Lightning Gold

Ashleigh Inae | Infield | 5-5 | Riverside, Calif. (King)

Tabbed the No. 84 overall player in the nation by Flosoftball.com
Will play her fourth season of varsity softball in the spring for head coach Lucinda Brewer
Named to the 2016 All-Inland Team as an honorable mention selection
Helped lead King to a 19-8 overall record as a junior

Flosoftball on Inae: "Ashleigh has flown under the radar until recently, but playing for one of the top club teams in the country, coaches have seen what she can do against elite competition. The senior has a cannon for an arm and is an excellent hitter with home run power and able to drive the ball into the gaps. She is athletic and is versatile on the field. She has triple threat offensive skills and plays with her heart on her sleeve. Ashleigh plays high school ball in Riverside for one of the top programs in So Cal and as a freshman played with current Alabama pitcher Alexis Osorio and helped lead to the team to a second-place finish in CIF Southern Section Div. I. This year the infielder earned Riverside Press-Telegram All-Inland Empire honors."

Courtney Layton | Outfield | 5-5 | Indian Trail, N.C. (Sun Valley)

Will play her fourth season of varsity softball in the spring for head coach Rob Enloe
Has led the Spartans to a state championship, three conference tournament titles and two conference regular season championships
As a junior, .309 batting average, 25 Hits, 4 Doubles, 2 Homeruns, 19 RBI, All-Conference, All-District, Team Coaches' Award, Team Captain
As a sophomore: .407 batting average; 33 Hits, 8 Doubles, 10 Stolen Bases, 32 RBI, finished top 10 in the county in 4 offensive categories, All-Conference, All-District, Team Defensive Player of the Year, Team Captain
As a freshman: .446 batting average, 41 Hits, 3 Triples, 4 Homeruns, 27 RBI, finished top 10 in the county in 4 offensive categories
Has led Sun Valley to a 67-16 overall record through three seasons

Tyler King | Outfield | 5-6 | Upland, Calif. (Upland)

Tabbed the No. 165 overall player in the nation by Flosoftball.com
Will play her fourth season of varsity softball for the Scotty Dogs in the spring
Hit .440 her junior season with a .462 on base percentage on the way to first-team all-league honors and her team's best defensive player award
Earned Second-Team All-Baseline League accolades as a sophomore while batting .440
Helped lead Upland to a 46-28 overall record in three seasons
Played her club softball for Explosion under head coach Bret Denio

Erin Poepping | RHP | 5-5 | Lino Lakes, Minn. (Totino-Grace)

Tabbed the No. 138 overall player in the nation by Flosoftball.com
Tallied 97 strikeouts in 72.2 innings of work to go along with a 2.22 earned run average and a .462 batting average as a junior on her way to team MVP and all-conference honors
Racked up double-digit strikeouts in seven games her junior campaign
Produced a 0.17 ERA in the 2016 sectional playoffs
Played club softball for the Lady Lightning Gold Midwest under head coach Michelle Harrison

Whitney Sanford | RHP | 5-11 | Sanford, N.C. (Lee County)

Tabbed the No. 111 overall player in the nation by Flosoftball.com
Garnered all-conference, all-district, all-regional and all-state honors as a junior as she posted a 0.76 earned run average, 17-3 overall record and 196 strikeouts in 120 innings pitched
Named the 2016 North Carolina 3A District 4 Pitcher of the Year and Cape Fear Valley Conference Pitcher of the Year as she led the Yellow Jackets to a 23-4 overall record, the conference title and the North Carolina 3A state quarterfinals
Twirled a no-hitter against Gray's Creek April 5 with 12 strikeouts against just one walk
Hit .376 with five home runs
Named to the 2016 Fayetteville Observer First Team as well as the All-Raleigh Metro First Team
Led Lee County to the conference title as a sophomore with a 14-2 record, 2.30 ERA and 123 strikeouts in 82 innings of work on the way to North Carolina 3A East Pitcher of the Year laurels as well as 3A District 4 Pitcher of the Year recognition and an all-conference nod
Batted .463 with five home runs
Selected to the 2015 Fayetteville Observer First Team as well as the All-Raleigh Metro First Team
Began her prep career by earning first-team all-conference honors and tallying 37 strikeouts in 27 innings pitched
Also hit .452 with 12 RBI as a freshman

Softball Inks Nation’s No. 22 Recruiting Class For 2017

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