BOONE, N.C. – The App State softball outfield rounds out the 2020 season preview as the Mountaineers open the season on Saturday, Feb. 8, taking on Virginia at 12 p.m. and Charlotte at 2:30 p.m. in Charlotte, N.C.
The outfield is led by senior
Gabby Buruato, along with sophomore
Mary Pierce Barnes. Freshmen
Emily Parrott,
Kati Waalk,
Delaney Smith,
Kennedy Southern and
Addison Jones add depth to the skilled outfield.
Buruato appeared in 35 games with one start last season. She scored 13 runs with a .375 on-base percentage, as well as a .375 slugging percentage. As a junior, she stole six bases for the Mountaineers.
"Gabby has earned where she's at in the outfield. She's had a really good preseason for us and she's always leading the outfield. Whether it's in left field or right field, she always does the right things fundamentally. I really look for Gabby to produce in the outfield and be one of the leaders out there," head coach
Shelly Hoerner said.
As a freshman, Barnes started in 29 of her 49 appearances. She posted a .260 batting average through 104 at bats, which was good for second-best on the team. The outfielder had a .346 slugging percentage, ranking fourth highest on the team, and added two home runs and 17 RBI.
"Mary Pierce has transitioned from left field to center field for us. She gets good reads off the bat and she needs to make sure she's controlling the outfield as the center fielder. She's got a very good arm which is a big strength. I look forward to her being in the outfield as more of a full-time starter," Hoerner said.
Parrott was a four-year starter at Palatine High School and tallied four home runs, 10 doubles and 28 RBI through her junior year. Her 61 hits as a starter are third-most in school history. She posted a .508 career batting average which helped propel Palatine High to a third-place finish at the 4A State Tournament in 2018 as well as regional championships in 2017 and 2018. She also earned third team All-State honors as a junior.
"Emily is very athletic in the outfield. She's quick to the ball and gets good reads," Hoerner said. "I think we've got good speed out in the outfield so we should be able to cover a lot of ground."
Waalk joins the Mountaineers from Syracuse. A Plymouth, Minn. native, Waalk was a four-year starter at Wayzata High School, earning All-Conference, All-Section and All-West Metro every year of her career. She was also a three-time All-State selection. The outfielder was named team MVP and Rookie of the Year and ended her high school career with a .435 batting average, .619 on base percentage, 78 hits, 14 home runs, 63 RBI and 36 doubles.
Smith attended Hillsborough High School where she was a four-year letterwinner in both soccer and softball. She earned All-Conference honors as a junior and senior and earned two Golden Glove awards, as well as team MVP.
"Having that depth in the outfield is going to help us have different people in the lineup depending on who we're playing and what we need out there. Whether it's a stronger arm or more speed, that's going to be a game-to-game decision. They've all had a great preseason," Hoerner said.
"Their hitting will also have a big impact on who's out there. We need to make sure we're scoring more runs than we have in the past so that will be a key component to our lineup this year."
Southern joins the Mountaineers from Kernersville, N.C. where she attended East Forsyth High School. She Earned All-State honors as a sophomore and junior, and All-Conference honors as a sophomore, junior and senior. Southern was named East Forsyth Female Athlete of the Year, All-Conference 4A Player of the Year and All-District 4A Player of the Year. She batted .494. as a senior.
A Marshville, N.C. native, Jones attended Forest Hills High School. She earned All-Conference, All-District and All-State honors during her standout career. She also posted an on-base percentage of over .500 each year.
