Leesburg, Fla. – The Lake-Sumter State College softball program is excited to announce the 2018 class set to compete for the Lakehawks during the 2018-19 school year.

These 10 student-athletes were handpicked by Head Coach, Jay Miller and his staff to continue the direction in which the program has been heading since 2016. The class is made up of nine freshman and one transfer.

Cissy Doolittle, Pitcher

One of the first commits in the 2018 class, Cissy Doolittle will be traveling south from her home in North Myrtle Beach, SC to join the Lakehawks. A tall right handed pitcher, Cissy attended North Myrtle Beach H.S. where she was a member of a very good pitching rotation. Doolittle ended her senior season with a microscopic 0.98 ERA with 60 strikeouts in 43 innings. "Once we found out about Cissy and she came down for a camp, we knew she was a priority for us," said Coach Miller. "She will fit in well with our established staff and will compete for innings right away."

Amanda Quinby, Utility

Quinby is the very definition of what a utility player should be. The slapper hit .526 on the season, collecting 41 hits over 23 games as a fixture at the top of the lineup for Interlachen H.S. She was a perfect 17 for 17 in stolen bases and crossed home plate 39 times. "Quinby has the quickness and ability to play in the infield, as well as the range to cover a lot of ground in the outfield," Miller said. The Palatka native will look to bring in speed on the bases to continue the tradition of aggressive base running at Lake-Sumter.

Brandi Davis, Pitcher/Infield

The second pitcher in the 2018 class, Davis threw over 100 innings for Suwannee H.S. and finished the season with a 3.10 ERA and 56 strikeouts. The righty held opponents to a batting average under .250. Offensively, Davis hit .275 with an OBP of .351. "Brandi is going to be looked at as a pitcher first, but we also want to see her glove in the infield," Miller said. "We think her speed will also come into play when we look at everything she is capable of."

Larkyn Coleman, C/1B/OF

Larkyn is a left handed power bat that will look to add some pop to the LSSC lineup. Even though the South Sumter graduate is left handed, she will still have an opportunity to catch for the Lakehawks. Coleman is very versatile and will have a lot of opportunities to get on the field as a freshman. Totaling 36 hits in 32 games, Larkyn also added 14 stolen bases to her season resume. "Larkyn is a kid who has flown under everyone's radar in the area," said Miller. "She has the talent and ability to make a big splash in our offense in her first year on campus."

Jennifer Bryant, 3B

An elected captain her senior year, Jennifer Bryant comes into Lake-Sumter as an underrated corner infielder from Steinbrenner H.S. At almost 6' tall, Bryant joins a squad that was minus a fixture at the hot corner in 2018. The Lutz, FL native hit just under .300 last season with an OBP over .400 for the Warriors. "Jennifer was a lucky find for us," Miller said. "To get a third baseman, of her caliber and when we did, was astonishing." A combo of Lauryn Markis, Lucia Esposito and Jenna Curtis all spent time at third base for the Lakehawks last season. Bryant will be fighting for a starting job right out of the gates.

Casey Allen, Utility

The second true utility player coming in for LSSC, Casey Allen is a local kid from Mt. Dora Christian Academy. In two seasons with MDCA, Allen totaled 91 hits in just 54 games while striking out a mere four times in 222 plate appearances. Coach Miller said about Allen, "Casey is just an exceptional athlete. It's hard to imagine how she was still available when we signed her. She's a grinder and will look to see the field a lot this season." Allen, a natural outfielder, will be able to compete for playing time at every position except in the circle and behind the plate.

Ember Oglesby, 1B/3B

With two-year starter Rachel Phelps graduating, first base is empty and Ember Oglesby will have a good opportunity to fill that vacancy. As a freshman at Lecanto H.S., Oglesby hit .091 at the varsity level. In her final year, the six foot tall corner infielder hit .464 with 26 hits in 16 games. "Ember is extremely strong and has some good speed to her," said Miller. "Her strength is real and we will certainly transition her into a power hitter the day she steps on campus." Oglesby also lettered in volleyball and went to the state meet for weightlifting.

Raelin Treves, OF

Raelin Treves is in a unique situation as she joins the Lakehawks. She ended up not playing her senior season at Eustis H.S. due to a back injury that also cost her the 2017 season. "Raelin comes to us finally healthy and ready to see her full potential," said Coach Miller. "This is a kid who is just now getting playing time with her travel ball team this summer and is eager to be on the field. She has untapped ability for the game of softball and we are very excited to see what she is fully capable of."

Jazmine Lara, C

A local product from Tavares H.S., Jazmine Lara brings a lot of potential to the table. Miller had this to say about Lara. "When Jazmine came for a workout she was impressive on the field. It was the way she gelled with the girls and her aggressive nature at the plate that made it a no brainer to bring her in." Lara is 1 of 3 catchers Coach Miller is bringing in to compete with returners Leslie Walden and Lucia Esposito.

Alysha Bolling Santiago, 2B/SS

A Mt. Dora native, Alysha Bolling Santiago transferred to Lake-Sumter from NCAA Division I affiliate, Savannah State. With speedster Brooke Ferguson moving on to Nova Southeastern, Bolling Santiago will be asked to fill the empty spot at second base. In 2016, she hit .364 with 24 RBIs for the Hurricanes. Alysha started in 27 games for Savannah State as a freshman, collecting 14 hits. "Alysha is perfect for our offense," Coach Miller said. "We are just going to put a uniform on her, let her put the ball in play and run wild around the bases. Her experience at the DI level is something you can't quantify and the impact she will have on our younger team members will help us on the field as well."

Softball is coming off a season where the team broke the school's single-season wins record and boasted their first winning season since 1999. This recruiting class will have big shoes to fill, but will certainly be up to the challenge.