Missouri State University has announced the addition of three new players to its softball program for the upcoming season. Head coach Kasey Griffith confirmed that Madi Johnson, Kaidynn Peckinpaugh, and Ellie Shevey have committed to join the Lady Bears as freshmen next fall.
Madi Johnson, an infielder from Centralia High School in Missouri, was a four-year starter and received several honors during her high school career. She was named to the all-conference first team three times and earned all-state recognition as a junior. Johnson set school records for hits, RBIs, and doubles at Centralia. Coach Griffith said, "We are excited to welcome in-state talent, Madi Johson to the team. She is a gifted middle infielder who plays the game with tremendous grit and competitiveness. What she lacks in height, she makes up for in heart and energy. She is constantly hustling and talking to her teammates, which I absolutely love. At the plate, Madi is a gap-to-gap hitter and an elite bunter. She uses her speed and softball IQ to run the bases at a very high level. Her assertiveness and passion for the game makes her a perfect fit for our program."
Kaidynn Peckinpaugh joins from McCutcheon High School in Indiana as a pitcher and utility player. Peckinpaugh was recognized as an all-area selection twice and earned all-state honors during her sophomore year. Over her high school career, she led her team in multiple statistical categories including doubles, home runs, innings pitched, strikeouts, ERA, and batting average against over two seasons. Coach Griffith commented on Peckinpaugh's skills: "We are thrilled to welcome Kaidynn Peckinpaugh to the Bear family. She is a pitcher that has natural deceptiveness from the left side. Kaidynn spins the ball very well and has the ability to change both planes and speeds, which is so important at this level. This allows her to consistently produce a lot of swing-and-misses. I love the positive energy she brings to the team as well as her assertive presence on the mound. We look forward to having Kaidynn in the circle for years to come."
Ellie Shevey comes from Kickapoo High School in Springfield, Missouri where she played catcher. Shevey was named first-team all-conference twice and helped lead her team to three conference championships during her high school career. In addition to excelling defensively behind home plate, she showed strong offensive performance with notable improvements each season culminating in nine home runs as a senior. Coach Griffith stated: "We are happy to welcome a local product of Springfield, Ellie Shevey to MoState Softball. She is a talented catcher that plays with an immense amount of passion for the game and love for her teammates. Her leadership is evident as she excels at commanding the defense while supporting her pitchers. On offense, Ellie brings a great presence, natural power and tremendous plate discipline. We can't wait to see Ellie in maroon and white."
All three athletes also play travel softball with regional teams outside their respective schools.
Alerts Sign-up