- Michigan
STATE CHAMPS! SCOUT TEAM: Three Rivers’ Kali Heivilin commits to play softball at Alabama
When all is said and done, Kali Heivilin may rank as one of the best softball players to ever come out of the state of Michigan.
After all, it’s not that often that the Southeastern Conference comes into the Mitten State recruiting talent.
Headed into her junior season of softball at Three Rivers, the shortstop announced on Twitter Monday afternoon that she was committing to Alabama.
“I am very excited to announce that I have verbally committed to the University of Alabama to continue my academic and softball career. I am very appreciative of all the love and support from all my coaches and my family that has helped me chase my dreams,” she tweeted, along with the hashtag #RollTide.
Heivilin, who plays for the Indiana Magic Gold in the summer, has already had an impressive career through just two seasons of high school ball. As a sophomore, she hit .596, driving in 65 runs, and struck out just four times in 147 plate appearances. She broke the MHSAA record for runs scored with 88, and bettered her own school record for home runs by one, with 19, giving her 37 on her career.
She’ll be joining an Alabama program that has made the NCAA tournament 20 straight seasons under coach Patrick Murphy, 14 straight appearances in Super Regionals and 11 Women’s College World Series berths, culminating in the 2012 national title. The Crimson Tide have won the SEC regular-season title five times and the tournament five times in Murphy’s tenure.
— MATTHEW B. MOWERY
