Today’s spotlight takes us to New Jersey where we learn more about one of the top sophomores in the nation, a pitcher who could have gone anywhere but chose to stay on the East Coast!

Name: KELSEY OH
Grad Year: 2017
Pos: pitcher
High School: Mount St. Dominic (N.J.)
GPA: 3.7
Club: Jersey Intensity – KOD                                                 
High School Stats: 18-4, 1.01 ERA, 202 K’s and a 9.2 strikeout-to-walk ration
Honors: 2^nd Team All-State, pitched a 13-inning win to give school a state championship   
College: Boston College

***

FullCountSoftball.com: You had a meteoric rise it seemed this summer in suddenly becoming one of the most coveted pitchers in the country… what was that like and what do you remember most of the last six months?
Kelsey Oh: These last six months have been a lot of fun! I have gotten to meet a lot of new people and travelled to many different places. Last summer Coach Kev (Kevin O’Donnell of Jersey Intensity) gave me a lot of opportunities to pitch with his team. This helped me adjust to the higher level of softball playing from what I was used to. I also gained a lot of experience and exposure. Everything happened very fast. Last year was my first year in front of so many college coaches. Before I knew it, I was going on college visits and am now verbally committed!

FCS.com: And you ended your high school season on a big high as well, a 13-inning win to capture a state title. What was that game like to pitch in?
KO: It was a REALLY long game.The other teams pitcher was really strong and it was a constant battle.

FCS.com: Tell us what you throw and what makes you one of the top prospects in the 2017 class… is it physical, mental, emotional or something else that makes you a dominant pitcher?
KO: I throw around 64-66 mph. I think what makes me one of the top prospects in the 2017 class is my mental game. Over the past few months I have tried to gain mental toughness and composure during challenging games. Along with that I have also been working on my different pitches and gaining a better break on my rise and curve.

FCS.com: You get to travel around the country with Jersey Intensity, having been at the Sun Classic in Florida and Nationals and Surf City in California. What’s been your favorite trip so far?
KO: My favorite trip so far has been the Surf City Showcase in Huntington Beach, Calif. in the fall. During that weekend my team had a bonfire on the beach after we had a great day on the field. We did very well that tournament and I enjoyed the nice weather before heading home to the cold.

FCS.com: Let’s talk recruiting… tell us how you were first seen by the BC coaches, then how long until they offered?
KO: I was first seen at the Sun Classic Tournament in Florida at the start of my freshman year. Then I attended a camp in the winter and toured the campus. They ended up offering me right after the Colorado tournament in the summer!

FCS.com: You committed in October… what led into the decision and why did you commit then?
KO: There’s no doubt that Boston College is a great school. I’ve been on campus a few times. After an unofficial visit in September, I knew I loved the campus, the coaching staff and the area. I still had a few more schools to visit so I waited until October. Knowing that Jordan Weed and Ally Frei, who played for Jersey Intensity, were going to be there really showed me the direction Boston College was heading in

FCS.com: How did you tell the coaches, in person, on the phone, on an unofficial visit?
KO: I always told my mom and dad that I wanted to verbally commit on campus. So when I told my parents that BC was the place for me, we went up that weekend to Boston where I verbally committed on campus!

FCS.com: Describe your emotions around telling them, were you more nervous or more excited?
KO: A few weeks after my unofficial visit I knew I wanted to go to BC so I was not nervous at all, but super excited to tell Coach Obrest my decision and to see the campus again.

FCS.com: What do you think (or have others said) are your strengths as a softball player?
KO: Many people have said that my poise on the mound is one of my strengths. They have also said that I have a good break on my curve and screw.

FCS.com: What’s been a top memory or two for you in your athletic career?
KO: One of my top memories so far in my athletic career was pitching in the broadcasted ESPN game against the EC Bullets. It was an awesome experience that I got to share with my teammates and coaches! Another great experience was winning the state championship in high school.

 

Quick Hitters

 

What do you want to major in at BC?
Special Needs Education.

Fill in the blank… I’m happiest when:
…I’m playing softball or with friends and family

What do you think is the No. 1 issue in the world today?
Poverty.

Favorite food:
Strawberries and Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups.

Least favorite school subject:
Religion (I go to a Catholic school)!

What’s your dream vacation?
To either Brazil or London.

What’s something unusual or different about you that few know?
That I am a good hitter.

How would your friends describe you in one word?
“Determined” or “Kind.”

If you were stranded on a desert island and could only take one thing with you, what would it be?
My MacBook computer.

Do you have any softball superstitions or rituals?
I do! When I go out and enter the pitchers circle I always have to pick up the ball from the ground by myself. If someone picks it up for me and hands it to me I have to drop it on the ground again!

Other than family, who’s your hero or someone you look up to most?
Meredith Goldstein, one of my mom’s best friends. She is very successful in her job and has taught me a lot about dedication and determination. Meredith was also a Division 1 college athlete.

Team you love to hate:
Immaculate Heart Academy. In high school we are rivals for softball but one of my best friends plays for them! We are both equally good teams so it is always fun but stressful when we play them.

What’s your “guilty pleasure,” something you hate to admit you love?
I love shopping and drinking coffee.

If you could have a super power, what would you want it to be?
I would want to fly. It would save a lot of money on flights to travel for softball!

What’s playing in your earphones/buds right now?
Taylor Swift or Beyoncé.

If you could have dinner with anyone dead or alive, who would it be?
Steve Carell! He is so funny and I love his character on the TV show The Office.

What did you want to be when you were little?
I wanted to be a professional softball player or a teacher.

Favorite athlete:
I don’t have one in particular.

Nickname(s):
Kels, Oh or when I was younger my teammates called me KO (Knockout).

Something on your “must do” list:
Travel around Europe for a few months! I love to go on new adventures and experience different cultures.

Best thing about being from New Jersey:
The best thing about being from New Jersey is living only about 20 minutes from New York City. I love going to see Broadway shows and exploring different museums on my days off from softball.

Funniest thing you’ve ever seen on a softball field:
During one of my high school games a turkey walked in the middle of the outfield and wouldn’t move! We had to stop playing for about 15 minutes until it moved off the field.

What’s the No. 1 request on your Santa gift list?
Boston College gear and new boots!