University of Southern Indiana Softball announced that incoming freshman pitcher Hailey Gotshall (Lucerne, Indiana) has signed a national letter of intent to complete for Head Coach Sue Kunkle‘s Screaming Eagles in 2021-22. Gotshall is the fifth player to sign with USI Softball and the first this spring.
Gotshall is currently a senior at Pioneer High School in Royal Center, Indiana, where she was a member of the 2018 IHSAA Class A State Championship team and 2019 IHSAA Class A runner-up.
A two-time first-team All-State honoree, Gotshall racked up a 30-2 record with a 1.08 ERA and 279 strikeouts inside the circle as a freshman in 2018. She went 20-2 with a 1.58 ERA and 190 strikeouts as a sophomore in 2019 and is currently 4-1 with a 1.87 ERA and 56 strikeouts in 2021.
At the plate, Gotshall has terrorized opposing pitchers throughout her prep career. She hit .617 with 32 doubles, a triple, six home runs and 51 RBI as a freshman before hitting .621 with 29 doubles, three triples, 17 home runs and 75 RBI in 2019. She is currently hitting .647 with seven doubles, a triple, three home runs and 15 RBI in 2021.
In addition to earning All-State honors in 2018 and 2019, Gotshall was the Hoosier North Athletic Conference Player of the Year in 2018 and HNAC co-Player of the Year in 2019. She also was the Loganland Player of the Year in 2018 and 2019.
“Hailey is a very talented pitcher and utility player that we are excited to have joining us next fall,” Kunkle said. “She will be a wonderful addition to our pitching staff, defense and our offensive lineup.”
Gotshall joins USI’s recruiting class that includes outfielder Olivia Howard (Fishers, Indiana), utility player Hannah Long (Haubstadt, Indiana), utility player Kennedy Nalley (Huntingburg, Indiana) and pitcher/infielder Josie Newman (Indianapolis, Indiana). Howard, Long, Nalley and Newman all signed NLIs last fall.
