Softball Signs Four to National Letters of Intent – Ohio State Buckeyes
11/21/2001 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Nov. 21, 2001
%^$COLUMBUS, Ohio-Ohio State softball coach Linda Kalafatis today announced the signing of four student-athletes to National Letters of Intent. Ohio natives Billie Jo Carder (Celina), Chelsea Baker (Gahanna), and Nicole Renee Lancaster (Magnolia), as well as Stacy Hibma of Buena Park, Calif., have decided to attend Ohio State in the fall of 2002 and play for the Buckeyes.%^$
%^$”With this recruiting class we have a lot of versatility and some good speed,” Linda Kalafatis, OSU head coach, said. “With five seniors on our team, including two in the outfield, we feel this class will have a solid impact for our program.”%^$
%^$Carder, a shortstop and outfielder, is a two-time First Team All-Ohio selection and three-time all-district selection. She has a career batting average of .475. In 91 games she has collected 161 hits and 82 stolen bases. The past two seasons she was honored as Player of the Year for Mercer county. She has helped Celina to a 79-12 record in the past three seasons.%^$
%^$”We feel that Billie Jo was the top player in the state of Ohio this year,” Kalafatis said. “She was sought after by Big Ten schools and we had our eye on her for some time. We are pleased to have her choose to come to Ohio State. We’re not sure where Billie Jo will fit in for us defensively yet, but I think she can come in right away an earn some valuable playing time”%^$
%^$Baker, a pitcher from St. Francis Desales High school, registered 825 strikeouts with a .53 earned run average, 35 shutouts, nine no-hitters and a perfect game though three seasons of high school competition. She earned First Team All-Ohio honors as a junior with a .17 earned run average and 288 strikeouts. She was also a Second Team All-Ohio selection as a sophomore.%^$
%^$”With Katie (Chain), Kristi (DeVies) and Wendy (Allen) returning, we were not necessarily looking for a pitcher,” Kalafatis said. “But at the same time, we felt Chelsea is one of the best prep pitchers in Midwest and didn’t want to let her get away and maybe even have to face her. Chelsea may be small in size, but she’s big in heart, don’t be surprised to see her in some other roles for us as well.”%^$
%^$ Lancaster, also a shortstop/outfielder, was a First Team All-Ohio selection as a junior at Sandy Valley High School when she led Stark County with a .488 batting average. She is a three-time First Team All-Eastern District selection and three-time all-conference selection. Last season, she was named Player of the Year in the Principals Athletic Conference. Lancaster’s 41 hits, .488 batting average and .667 slugging percentage last year were Sandy Valley single-season records. Her .407 career batting average and 90 career stolen bases are also school records.%^$
%^$”Nicole has consistently put up good numbers,” Kalafatis said. “We expect she will continue to do that at the college level. Nicole was the last to commit and she turned down bigger offers from other schools for a chance to be a Buckeye, that says a lot about her commitment to our program already.”%^$
%^$Hibma, a 5-10 catcher, was a four-year starter at Valley Christian High School. A first team all-conference selection in 2000 and 2001, Hibma was also Most Valuable Player of her team in 2000 and 2001. She helped her 18-under travel team to 17th place at nationals in 1999.%^$
%^$”Catching was a top priority of this class,” Kalafatis said. “We were able to fulfill that position with Stacy’s signing. She has what we look for in a catcher: a cannon arm, the ability to guide the pitcher from behind the plate, and being a successful part of the line-up, Stacy has good power at the plate.”
