NORFOLK, Va. — Norfolk State head softball coach Kary Kankey announced Tuesday the signing of pitcher/first baseman Elizabeth Castaneda (Montclair, Calif./Montclair HS), pitcher/shortstop Casey Pomeroy (Fallon, Nev./Churchill County HS), shortstop Jamie Rasnic (Houston, Tex./Western Oklahoma State College), second baseman/shortstop Candice Vasquez (Montclair, Calif./Montclair HS), and outfielder Danielle Wright (Safety Harbor, Fla./Countryside HS) to play for the Spartans in 2009.
 
“We expect all of our new signees and (early signee) Kari Losure (Reno, Nev./Reno HS) to come in and contribute right away”, said Kankey. “With the graduation of pitchers Micki Rodriguez and Sarah Wittwer, we have addressed our needs of pitching and have plugged the offensive holes the two vacate. All six signees have the talent to start immediately and be successful on this level. We are really excited about the caliber of play that they bring to the table.”

Castaneda, a two-time Mount Baldy League first-team pick, hit .421 with 26 RBI and 18 runs in 26 games as a senior in 2008. She ranked third in the conference in hitting, home runs (2), and earned run average (4.25). She earned second-team Mount Baldy League honors her freshman and sophomore years and participated on Montclair’s volleyball and tennis teams.

Kankey on Castaneda: “Liz is more of a power pitcher with a good up ball.  She is also a hard hitter who will help us offensively and she can also play first base.”

Rasnic hit .321 and scored 48 runs in 53 games at Western Oklahoma State College as a sophomore in 2008. In her first year at WOSC, the shortstop hit .319 with 12 RBI and helped the Pioneers to the second round of the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Region II Tournament.

Kankey on Rasnic: “Jamie is extremely versatile. She can play either middle infield position and third base. She also has a great arm, and with two years of junior college softball under her belt, she will be ready to make an immediate impact.”

Pomeroy, a three-time High Desert League first-team pick, went 3-5 and pitched 72.0 innings with 92 strikeouts and a 2.25 ERA in 2008 for Churchill County HS. Pomeroy showed her versatility by hitting .473 at the plate with 15 RBI. As a sophomore in 2006, she was named CCHS Co-Pitcher of the Year, and earned team MVP honors after her junior season.  Pomeroy also lettered in volleyball and soccer for the Greenwave.

Kankey on Pomeroy: “We are expecting Casey to come in right away and contribute on the mound, and as an added bonus, she also is a strong hitter who can play in the middle infield.”

Vasquez, Castaneda’s teammate and a four-year starter for Montclair, hit .259 in 22 games in 2008. A Mount Baldy League second-team pick her freshman and sophomore years, Vasquez hit .413 with eight doubles, three triples and had a .563 slugging percentage as a junior. Both Castaneda and Vasquez played with current Spartan standout Jeanette Sauceda on the travel softball team CA Rage.

Kankey on Vasquez: “Candice is fantastic defensive player at either shortstop or second base and will compete for a starting time at either of those positions.”

Wright was named Countryside High School’s Outstanding Female athlete of the year after stellar seasons in volleyball, basketball and softball in 2007-08. On the softball field, she hit .304 with 21 stolen bases, three home runs and two triples.

Kankey on Wright: “Danielle is very quick and athletic and will be a good replacement for Gladys (Cabeza) in the outfield. Danielle is primarily an outfielder, but she also has experience at second base. She will be a threat on the base paths because of her speed.”