One of the advantages of being in-person at a big event like the PGF Nationals is you get to talk to coaches and learn of recent verbals; for instance…

 

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*** Penn State has received commitments from a pair of young players on Gerry Quinn’s Illinois Chill team.

Both verbaled after going to a camp at PSU in June and the interesting part of their story is they are best friends and dreamed of playing college softball together.

That will happen in the Big Ten! Here’s a bit more on each:

— Emily Hudgins is a 2017 shortstop/centerfielder who bats left and throws right. She goes to Warren Township High School (Ill.) and hit .532 with six home runs and 51 RBI as a freshman and also walked 56 times.

She also drew attention after going to the OnDeck Exposure Camp (Rosemont, Ill.) in January and the Next Level Combine (Gurnee, Ill.) in April. An excellent athlete, Emily was also a state qualifier in the long jump, the 100 meters and 4 x 200.

She also has a 4.0 GPA.

— Claire Swedberg is a 2018 pitcher/second baseman who, like her friend Emily, bats left and throws right.

She played with the Batspeed Rebels prior to joining the Chill and went 7-1 with them while hitting .518.

Claire also is a excellent all-around athlete and was a sectional champion in cross country while also doing pole vault in track.

Says Coach Quinn:

“I met Emily at the OnDeck camp last January and asked her to join my 18U team this August. She brought Claire to a January practice and I said, ‘Let’s grab her too.’”

“Claire will play for my 16U team this fall.  Claire and Emily practiced with my 18U team for the rest of the winter and I began working on their recruiting plan at that time. Things just took off from there with Penn State.”

 

*** Madison Heide, a 2016 catcher/third baseman with the DeMarini Aces, has committed to Notre Dame.  She attends Notre Dame de Sion High in Missouri.

The Aces, as we mentioned last week, was formerly named the “DeMarini Zephyrs” and is coached by Ryan Taylor.

Back to Madison and the new Irish commit… here’s what Coach Taylor says of her:

“Madison has been clocked at a 65 mph overhand and is a player all coaches love.  She can play everything on the field except pitcher and you won’t lose a step with her.”

Her athletic ability is phenomenal; you put her on the baseball field and she can chuck it as far as the boys.”

 

*** Konnor Dahlberg, a 2017 pitcher/first baseman with the Power Surge 99 team, has committed to San Diego State according to her father, Rich, who wrote to say she committed on Saturday.

A 6-foot righty who attends Rancho Bernardo High (San Diego area), she throws 60 mph with a rise, drop and change-up, she just finished playing at the PGF Nationals where she hit .333.

Konnor also was part of the 12U team that won the ASA/USA National Championship.

 

*** Two top players from Arizona will be playing club ball in Alabama moving forward.

Morgan Nelson, a 2015 middle infielder committed to Stanford, and T Statman, a 2015 pitcher/second baseman committed to Arizona, will both be playing for the Birmingham Thunderbolts as of this week.

They played for the Lil Saints Gold up until now.

Statman was rated No. 86 in our Hot 100 2015 recruits and we’ll have more from her later today!

 

*** More verbals:

— 3B/1B Baylee Allender (2017, Seton Hall)… plays for Texas Storm
— 3B/OF Rachel Barker (2015, Cal State Monterey Bay)… plays for Case Batbusters Gold
— OF Kiersten Berrier (2015, UNC Charlotte)… plays for Carolina Cardinals
— OF Destinee Brewer (2015, Lipscomb)… plays for Germantown Red Devils
— OF Destiny DeBerry (2015, North Carolina)… plays for Carolina Cardinals
— IF/OF Hannah Epps (2017, Baylor)… plays for Texas Storm
— P/UT Lacey Fox (2015, UNC Wilmington)… plays for Carolina Cardinals
— 1B/3B Kaila Fulker (2015, Central Michigan)… plays for Team Michigan
— SS Corina Gamboa (2016, Colorado State)… plays for Firecrackers-Brashear
— P/UT Emily Kenley (2015, Coastal Carolina)… plays for Carolina Cardinals
— OF Katie Lamich (2015, Northern Illinois)… plays for Orland Park A’s
— 3B/UT Julia Luciano (2015, North Dakota State)… plays for Minnesota Sting
— 3B/C Gina Munson (2015, Central Michigan)… plays for Team Michigan
— IF Ashlee Orr (2016, Northern Kentucky)… plays for Louisville Lady Sluggers
— SS/2B Emily Randall (2016, Cal State Fullerton)… plays for Firecrackers-Baisdon
— UT Rebecca Simms (2015, Rhode Island)… plays for TNT Gold
— P Adrian Smith (2016, St. Johns)… plays for Ohio Outlaws
— C/OF Sera Stevens (2016, Georgetown)… plays for Team Michigan
— P/UT Brittany West (2015, North Carolina)… plays for Carolina Cardinals