Jonker Signs 'Super 6'
11/13/2014 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Andy Sneddon, CMUChippewas.com
MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. - The left side of the infield was a strength of the Central Michigan softball team in the 2014 season.
It should continue to be in 2015, with shortstop CarolAnn Sexauer and third baseman Trista Cox - the team's top two hitters last spring - returning for their senior seasons.
But with an eye toward eventually replacing that dynamic duo, veteran coach Margo Jonker's 2015 recruiting class is heavy on infield help.
The Chippewas signed six players to letters of intent this week, five of whom list an infield spot as their primary position.
"I think that this class is very talented, and I think that it'll springboard us into the future," Jonker said.
Joining the Chippewas beginning with the 2016 season are third basemen Gina Munson and Kayla Noch, middle infielder Rachel Vieira, first basemen Kaila Fulker and Erica Underwood, and outfielder Allison Curtis.
As is almost always the case, the majority of the signees are versatile enough to play several positions, Jonker said. But it's on the left side of the infield, where the likes of Munson, Noch and Vieira are likely to settle in, that the class of 2015 may make its first impact.
Noch, whose father, Doug, played baseball at CMU in the mid 1980s and was drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers, is a Romeo High School product who carries a .430 career batting average with 96 RBI. She chose CMU over Bowling Green, Ohio and Northwestern.
"When I first saw her she was playing third base and I really liked her," Jonker said, "the next time I saw her she was catching and I liked her there, and the next time I saw her she was at shortstop and I liked her there. She's a very good defensive player and can play multiple positions."
Vieira hit .513 with an .839 slugging percentage last season at Clarkston High School. She also had six home runs among 20 extra-base hits and 44 RBI. She is a two-time First Team All-State selection who possesses good speed and selected the Chippewas over Michigan State and Ball State.
"She plays with a great deal of energy and has great hands," Jonker said. "Some of the best hands I've seen in a long time."
Munson has hit .466 with 10 home runs and 83 RBI in her three years at Regina High School in Warren, and has twice earned All-Catholic League honors. She chose CMU over Michigan State, Bowling Green, Oakland and Detroit, among others.
Both Underwood and Fulker are prototypical first basemen who should provide power at the plate.
Fulker has smacked 15 homers and driven in 121 runs during her first three years at Anchor Bay High School in New Baltimore. She hit .468 last season.
Underwood is a left-handed hitting first baseman who was named to the 2014 Maxprep Preseason All-America Team. She holds every Addison High School hitting record, is a three-time All-Stater, and her 17 home runs in 2013 tied her for third on the state's all-time list for a single season.
She had 14 home runs, hit .593, and drove in 47 runs last season, and she enters her senior year at Addison with 38 career round-trippers, which places her fourth all-time among prep softball players in Michigan.
"We anticipate her setting some records for us offensively in the power categories," Jonker said.
Curtis, who is in her senior season at Salpointe Catholic High School in Tucson, Arizona, hit .448 and stole 23 bases while striking out just once in 194 at-bats over the past two years. She selected CMU over Minnesota, Southern Illinois and Southern Mississippi.
"Love the way she plays the game," said Jonker, adding that Curtis possesses outstanding speed and projects to be a leadoff hitter. "She plays the game extremely passionately. She and Vieira kind of play the same way, one in the infield, one in the outfield."
 | Erika Underwood • IF/C • L/L • 5-8 • Addison, Mich./Addison HS Named to the Maxprep 2014 Preseason All-American Team ... three-time team MVP ... holds all Addison HS softball records except for pitching ...three-time All-Cascade, all-district, all-region and Jackson Citizen Patriot Dream Team honoree ... selected to the Adrian Daily Telegram All-County Team as a freshman, sophomore an junior and was recognized as ADT Softball Player of the Year in 2013 ... also recognized as MLive/Jackson Citizen Patriot Player of the Year in 2013 ... named all-state first base as a freshman and all-state as a catcher following sophomore and junior seasons ... hit a MHSAA record 14 triples as a freshman to go along with 13 doubles, seven home runs, 43 RBIs and a .544 batting average ... entered the MHSAA record book again in 2013, hitting 17 home runs ... also had .613 batting average and scored 53 runs as a sophomore ... batted .593 with 18 doubles, 14 home runs and 47 RBIs as a junior ... played summer ball with the Adrian Lookouts and Michigan Elite ... ranked No. 3 in the state in the shot put (37'5") as a freshman ...three-time recipient of the Presidents Education Award for Outstanding Academic Achievement. | |
 | Kayla Noch • IF/C • R/R • 5-5 • Romeo, Mich./Romeo HS Three-year letterwinner ... has played third base, shortstop and catcher ... three-time all-conference and all-county honoree ... selected MHSSCA all-region two years and all-district three years ... helped lead RHS to MAC RED championships in 2012 and 2014 ... three-time district champion ... won regional championships and advanced to the state semifinals in each of the last two years ... as a freshman, hit . 442 and led the team with 32 RBIs ... career stats include a .430 batting average, 96 RBIs, 41 doubles and an OBP of .470 ... played summer ball with the Michigan Bulldogs (2010-15) ... also lettered one year in basketball (sophomore) ... dad, Doug, played baseball at CMU and was drafted in 1987 by the Los Angeles Dodgers ... also recruited by Bowling Green, Northwestern and Ohio. | |
 | Rachel Vieira • IF • R/R • 5-4 • Clarkston, Mich./Clarkston HS Four-year letterwinner ... two-year team captain ... ranked No. 5 in the Softball Top 50 by Michigan Prep Zone ... as a sophomore, named MHSSCA First Team All-State, All-Region, All-District and All-OAA League at second base ... also honored as All-Oakland County by the Oakland Press and NFCA Second Team All-Region ... as a junior, was selected MHSSCA First Team All-State, All-Region, All-District and All-OAA League at shortstop ... also recognized as All-Oakland County by the Oakland Press ... named the CHS Softball MVP and Female Athlete of the Year ... in 2014, batted .513 with a .839 slugging percentage with six home runs, six triples, eight doubles and 44 RBIs ... played summer ball with the Michigan Bulldogs and Finesse ... also lettered three years in volleyball and two in equestrian ... member of the National Honor Society ... selected CMU over Michigan State and Ball State. | |
 | Allison Curtis • OF • L/R • 5-2 • Tucson, Ariz./Salpointe Catholic HS Three-year letterwinner ... has been named a team captain for senior season ... named All-Southern Arizona Honorable Mention by the Arizona Daily Star for 2012-13 season ... selected Second Team All-Southern Arizona by the Arizona Daily Star for 2013-14 season ... hit. 448 with two home runs, 23 stolen bases and on strikeout in 194 at bats over the past two years ... played summer ball with the Arizona Desert Thunder ... selected Central Michigan over Minnesota, Southern Illinois and Southern Mississippi. | |
 | Kaila Fulker • IF • R/R • 5-8 • Chesterfield, Mich./Anchor Bay HS Three-year letterwinner ... a three-time all-district selection ... earned all-region honors in 2012 and 2014 ... named a top player in Metro Detroit by the Detroit News in 2013 ... earned first team all-state honors in 2014 ... totaled 121 RBIs and a school record 15 home runs over the past three years ... hit a career high .468 in 2014 ... played summer ball with Team Michigan ... a three-time all-academic honoree. | |
 | Gina Munson • IF/OF • R/R • 5-6 • Harrison Township, Mich./Regina HS Four-year varsity letterwinner ... two-time team captain ... named MHSSCA First Team All-District and All-Region as a freshman, sophomore and junior ... received Macomb Daily All-County Honorable Mention recognition in 2012 and Second Team All-County honors in 2013 and 2014 ... MHSSCA Honorable Mention All-State in 2014 ... named All-CHSL in 2013 and 2014 ... won district champions in three consecutive years (2012-14) ... earned MVP honors at Colorado Sparkler Future Stars Tournament ... named to Lake Orion All-Tournament Team in 2013 ... a career .466 hitter with 10 home runs, 83 RBIs and a .708 slugging percentage ... plays summer ball with Team Michigan ... also earned two letters in volleyball and basketball ... nominated for Catholic League Volleyball Scholar Athlete Award ... four-year member of the National Honor Society ... selected CMU over Oakland, Detroit, Canisius, Grand Valley, Michigan State and Bowling Green. |
