Minton signs to Letter of Intent with Linfield
Mikayla Minton signed a letter of intent to play collegiate softball at Linfield College in McMinnville, Ore., Wednesday evening at McKinleyville High.
Minton, a junior during McKinleyville softball’s historic 2018 run a year ago, played an invaluable role for McKinleyville as a versatile outfielder and utility piece and, in several crunchtime spots, a reliable second option at pitcher.
“She’s so positive all the time and is just an all-around team player,” McKinleyville head coach Shanna McCracken said. “She came out of her shell last year and, no matter what role she had to play, she always gave her best effort.”
Minton helped McKinleyville win a program-record 23 games in 2018. On May 5, 2018, Minton came in to pitch in relief of starter McKenzie Gonsalves in the Humboldt-Del Norte League tournament championship game against Eureka.
Minton pitched four innings and struck out three in the 11-7 win, sending the Panthers into the NCS playoffs on a high note.
The Panthers rolled through the NCS Division 4 tournament, winning all three playoff games by a combined score of 24-2 culminated by an 11-1 win against St. Patrick St. Vincent in the title game. The NCS title counted as McKinleyville’s first since 1988.
“She’s the type of person where you never have to ask her to do something because she’s already doing it,” McCracken said.
Linfield posted a 39-8-1 overall record last season including a 25-3 mark in Northwest Conference play, good enough for first-place in the conference.