March 19, 2024

CSM Signs Three New Softball Players

softball
Newly signed CSM women’s softball players are, seated from left, Skylar Clark, Kaitlyn Culbert, and Anna Klotz, with, in back, Assistant Coach Bill Hitte, Head Coach Jim Cleary, and Assistant Coach Jerry Barron. Assistant Coach Danielle Watt is not pictured.

Three new players have been signed to the College of Southern Maryland women’s softball team. The three — Skylar Clark, Kaitlyn Culbert, and Anna Klotz — are finishing out their senior year at Southern Maryland high schools and will start classes at CSM in fall 2018 and start with the Hawks for the spring 2019 season.

“All three women are very strong academically and will be great additions to CSM as well as to our softball program,” said Head Coach Jim Cleary.

Ms. Clark is a pitcher who will graduate from Calvert High School. “Skylar is one of the top pitchers graduating from SMAC in 2018,” Coach Cleary said. “We are excited to sign her and are expecting her to be a major part of our pitching staff for the spring 2019 season.”

Ms. Culbert is a center fielder from Northern High School. “Kaitlyn is a great center fielder with a lot of speed and exceptionally good reads on balls hit to the outfield,” Coach Cleary said. “She is also a strong hitter with a lot of speed on the base paths. We are hoping she will anchor our outfield.”

Ms. Klotz plays first base and outfield at St. Mary’s Ryken High School. “Anna is a very good first baseman and outfielder with a strong bat and speed on the base paths. We are looking forward to her adding to our defensive and offensive capabilities,” Coach Cleary said.

As the Hawks softball team plans for the future and waits for these new players, the team is also expecting a strong season this spring. Five new players were added to the roster for the season: Alyssa Case, pitcher/infielder/outfielder from Bishop McNamara High School; Kailey Cannon, infielder from Huntingtown High School; Michaela Guy, catcher from St. Mary’s Ryken High School; Haylee McClanahan, catcher/infielder from Patuxent High School; and Lindsey Wood, pitcher/infielder from Leonardtown High School.

Coach Cleary is returning for his seventh season with the Hawks and his fifth season as head coach. Assistant coaches for the 2018 season include Bill Hitte, who has been with the CSM program for 15 years, Danielle Watt, who played her sophomore year at CSM and then her last two years at Bowie State, and Jerry Barron, who has coached both high school and travel softball for several years.

The Hawks ended the 2017 season 25-13, their best record in the last five years. Coach Cleary believes the 2018 season is also looking good for the Hawks. “We will have solid players in every position, plus players that will allow us to play through times when key players are injured,” he said.

To view a gallery of photos from the signing event, visit CSM’s photo sharing site.

For more on women’s softball at CSM, visit CSM’s athletics site.

For more about the College of Southern Maryland, visit its Leader member page.

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