Local softballers to reunite versus Team USA
By Carl Lukat
The 2008 USA Olympic Softball team will make a stop in Salem during its "Bound for Beijing" Tour July 24 to play a group of 13 Virginia-area college softball players.
The game will be a reunion of sorts for four players on the Virginia team with Loudoun County roots.
James Madison University rising senior Jenny Clohan will reunite with Kelly Haller (Virginia) and twin sisters Jennifer Everhart (Radford) and Jessica Everhart (Virginia Tech) to play in the game.
The four were teammates on the Northern Virginia-based Shamrocks 14U team and played varsity softball locally – Clohan at Broad Run High School, Haller at Heritage and the Everharts at Loudoun Valley.
“It's going to be awesome,” Clohan said. “I love playing with these girls. We all have the same winning mentality.”
Clohan, a pitcher and utility player, posted a 10-8 record in 2008 with a 2.06 earned run average. She tossed 12 complete games and struck out 139 batters in 161 innings pitched.
Clohan, who will be joined by her younger sister Michelle, a 2008 Broad Run High School graduate, on the JMU softball team next spring, is one of three pitchers on the Virginia squad.
“I never thought I would get the chance to play against the Olympic team,” Jenny Clohan said. “This is amazing.”
Haller and the Everhart twins are also coming off strong college seasons.
Haller started all 54 games and played catcher and first base for the Cavaliers during her sophomore season in 2008. Haller led Virginia with a .303 batting average and an on-base percentage of .446. She had nine extra base hits and drove in 19 runs.
Jennifer Everhart started 60 games in her junior season at Radford. The second baseman hit .288 with 31 RBIs and 34 runs scored.
Jessica Everhart is coming off a trip to the College World Series with her Virginia Tech teammates. An outfielder who started 62 games for the Hokies, she shined defensively with 34 putouts and a .949 fielding percentage and also drove in 25 runs at the plate.
Jessica Everhart's college coach Scott Thomas will also coach the Virginia team. Thomas guided the Hokies to a 1-0 exhibition win over Team USA March 26 in Oklahoma City.