2014-15 ALL-USA Softball Player of the Year, Kelly Barnhill. (Photo: Brentt Eads)
Pitcher Kelly Barnhill of Pope High in Marietta, Ga., has been selected as the American Family Insurance ALL-USA Softball Player of the Year.
The selection was made by Brentt Eads of FloSoftball.com.
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PLAYER PROFILE:
Name: Kelly Barnhill
School: Pope High, Marietta, Ga.
Position: Pitcher
Year: Senior
Highlights:
Barnhill didn’t win one game, strike out one batter or even throw one pitch for her high school this spring — that’s because her home state of Georgia is one of a handful to play high school softball in the fall.
But what Barnhill did last autumn was eye-opening: the 5-foot-8 right-handed pitcher went 29-5 with a 0.59 ERA and struck out a state-record 534 hitters in 226 innings as she helped lead Pope to the 6A state title, the first in school history. In the state final, she threw a no-hitter in a 4-0 victory against Hillgrove, one of seven on the year and 22 in her career, and struck out 16. She finished the tournament with 70 strikeouts in four games and did not allow a run after the first round.
A Florida signee who is ranked as the No. 1 pitcher by FloSoftball.com, she also was named the Georgia Gatorade State Player of the Year and the Class 6A Pitcher of the Year.
She was invited to play for the U.S. Junior National Team this summer and is one of the hardest throwers in the country, having been clocked in the low 70’s. She also has a 4.26 GPA.