Three is company
Three Foothill League players earn national recognition
When looking at the Extra Inning Softball 2018 Second Team All-American list, it’s impossible not to notice Brooke Marquez. A photo of the Hart softball player greets the reader at the top of the list on Extra Inning’s website.
“It’s always cool to be on the list, but to be the photo that everyone sees as soon as you open the link up its really cool, it’s really exciting,” Marquez said. “And seeing it just makes me want to work harder for next year.”
The criteria to be named an Extra Inning All-American included stats and honors, skills and off-thefield habits like academic success and community involvement.
Marquez was chosen by the website as a second-team infielder. Valencia’s Shea O’Leary and Ally Shipman were each tabbed as First Team All-Americans.
O’Leary, a University of Texas commit, posted a 1.30 ERA in 214.67 innings of work and recorded 288 strikeouts. Shipman, who is headed to Tennessee, ended her senior campaign with a .356 batting average on 31 hits and logged 25 RBIs. She was intentionally walked 34 times and hit seven home runs.
Marquez, who is entering her senior year, led the Indians with 43 hits and had 14 multi-hit games. After her prep career, she’ll be playing for the University of Notre Dame.
“I really just work hard. I play every game to my fullest,” Marquez said. “I really want to have fun, have energy but at the same time I want to work hard and be a run producer for my team, be a hits leader. I just want to really help my team
win.”
Hart missed out on the playoffs this season after being bumped up from Division 3 to Division 1, but the snub has only made the team more motivated.
“We’re ready for it next year. We’re coming in hot and hopefully we’ll have a successful season this year,” Marquez said.
As for herself, Marquez has had a busy summer playing for travel ball team Firecrackers Rico. She competed in the Colorado Sparkler tournament June 24-July 1 and will be at the Premier Girls Fastpitch Nationals at the end of the summer.
By the time prep softball season comes around, she’s hoping to be a more powerful hitter with more home runs as well as a mentally strong player.
“I want to make sure no one is behind in the pace of the game, make sure everyone is hard-working,” she said. “I want to control the things that are controllable. I can’t control a diving catch, things are going to happen and I know that. So really recovery and … I want to always be that player that brings everyone together as a group.”