Fairhope High Signing Day

• Pirates' Yarbrough signs with South Alabama

Tony Whitehead, GCM Sports
Posted 11/10/17

Samantha Yarbrough said she has wanted to play division I softball since she was 8 years old and for the Jaguars since her freshman year. The Fairhope High pitcher/infielder will join...

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Fairhope High Signing Day

• Pirates' Yarbrough signs with South Alabama

Posted

FAIRHOPE, Ala. — Samantha Yarbrough said she has wanted to play Division I softball since she was 8 years old and for the USA Jaguars since her freshman year.

“I really did pick South as my D-I team to play for. I’m just so happy this dream really came true. I knew it would take hard work. But it was all worth it.“

Yarbrough said she was also grateful to her family and coaches for helping her realize her dream.

“I want to thank God first for giving me the opportunity to do this, my parents and all my family for their support and encouragement, all my friends who have come along with me on this journey and all my coaches who had a part in making me the player and person I am today.”

She added that South was also a preferred choice because of her long-range plans.

“Because I want to go into either nursing or pharmacy, and I really liked being on a campus with a medical school and South has a great one.”

Fairhope head coach Chuck Nelson said it’s always tough to see a dominant player move on, but he is looking forward to having her one more season.

“Really looking forward to what more she can do this spring. She has been working out and training so hard and always came in with that dedicated, hard work ethic. She has really had a good, solid idea of what it takes and I admire her determination. As a coach you always have to appreciate the extra effort on and off the field.

“Also, really excited about the whole team because we feel like with her back and the experienced players we have to support her, we can go far.”

Yarbrough went 28-6 in the circle with four saves over 188 innings and led Fairhope to a 49-8 record as a junior and a berth in the state tournament. She struck out 294 batters and finished with a 1.34 ERA.

At the plate, she hit .411 with 14 doubles, 15 home runs, 56 RBIs, worked 16 at bats for walks and had 19 stolen bases with an on-base percentage of .500 .

Yarbrough tied an AHSAA record recording two homeruns in the same inning against McGill-Toolen Catholic. She is also the reigning Coastal Alabama Player of the Year. Prior to transferring to Fairhope from Pike Liberal Arts (AISA) in Troy, she had also hit 16 homeruns.

The Fairhope High pitcher/infielder will join Daphne's Kennedy Cronan who also signed with South Alabama.