2007 Westerville South High School Season:

Ashley Byers is a 6’0” softball pitcher in her junior year at Westerville South High School in Westerville, Ohio.   As a pitcher, Ashley is comfortable and accomplished at using a variety of pitches - at least seven different ones - in different circumstances.  Given her stature and her quiet confidence, Ashley is imposing on the mound.  Because of her stretch, the release of the ball is a few feet closer to the batter than that of other pitchers, leaving even less time for a batter to react.

Ashley is a well-rounded player, excelling defensively at 1^st and 2^nd base positions as well.  Offensively, she is a power hitter with a bat speed clocked (at the OSU hitting camp) consistently around 80 mph.  She has started on the Varsity Wildcats high school team in the Division I Ohio Capital Conference since her freshman year. Ashley and her team won the Division I Central District Championship in 2006, making up for a disappointing extra-inning loss in the District Championship the year before.  She really enjoys being part of this group – they’re good friends, working together.  Currently, she and her team are focused on surpassing their past accomplishments.

This year, Ashley is off to a good start.  Even though still early in the high school season, her team won 6 games and lost none in the Azalea Invitational Tournament in Summerville, SC.  Ashley started 4 of those games, striking out 55 batters in 22 innings and not allowing a run to score.  She was selected to the “All Tournament” team at this event.  She has been selected again as the Columbus Dispatch/Agonis Player of the Week just this week.

 Ashley is committed to continuing her softball career in college.  While she has not narrowed her college choices significantly yet, she would like to go to school and play softball in the southern United States. 

A few examples of Ashley’s notable performances include: Batting over .350 at the ASA Nationals in Seattle last summer. Pitching two perfect games last high school season against Toledo St. Ursula and Westerville Central. Compiling a strikeout to walk ratio of 3.8:1 during last year’s travel ball season, including two national tournaments, Compuware, and others.

While Ashley has experienced a lot of success, she does not rest on her laurels.  She still has a lot of potential for improvement and seeks out new challenges that will help her get better as a pitcher, player, and person.

In the summer, she pitches for Joe Abraham’s Buckeye Heat team.  In the years she has played for him, she has consistently improved her performance.  She dropped her ERA from 1.57 to 0.88 from 2005 to 2006.  Her opponents’ batting average this past summer was .148, including her appearances at Compuware, NSA World Series in Columbus, and ASA Nationals in Seattle.

When Ashley is not playing softball, she participates in other activities, including Varsity & Club Volleyball, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, and Key Club, and American Sign Language.  For down time, she likes to dance, hang out with friends, paint and draw.

 

2006 Westerville South High School Season:
*2006 All-Ohio Tournament Team
	Ashley was chosen and played on the All Ohio tournament team, Central District

 

 

For up-to-date information please visit:    www.buckeyeheat.org/abraham.htm 

Buckeye Heat  Schedule 2006  Tournaments & Events: Fall & Winter 2005 & Summer 2006 Season

Date	Description	Results
Sept. 10	Thomas Worthington Fall Friendly	3-0
Sept.17-18	SGS Magic "ASA" College & 18U Tournament	4-1
Oct. 1-2	Ohio Classics "NSA" W S Q  (awarded berth)	5-2
Oct. 22-23	Ball State University Exposure Camp & "ASA" Tournament
Jan. 7-8	Ringor Showcase Kent State University
Jan. 28	Bowling Green  Tournament & Camp
Feb. 4-5	Ohio State University Winter Camp
Feb. - June	Westerville South  High School Ball
June 9-11	Toledo Tune Up-7 game guarantee	First Place 6-1
June 15-18	Compuware "ASA" Invitational	Third Place 6-1
June 18-21	Ohio State Summer Camp
June 23-25	"ASA"  National  Qualifier (awarded berth)	First Place 5-1
June 30- July 2	"NSA"  State Tournament	Third Place 7-2
July 7-9	Loudonville	First Place 7-0
July 14-16	Stingrays Invitational "ASA" N Q	Fourth Place 5-2
July 22-30	"NSA"  "A" World Series	4-2
July 31- Aug 6	"ASA"  "A" Nationals  Team went 5-2	33rd out of 140 Teams Finished in top 25%

The Buckeye Heat placed third in the Fairborn Memorial Blast May 29, 2005. They placed second in the John Wells Memorial Super Six in Zanesville June 5, 2005 and finished in top 8 out of 32 teams at Compuware June 19th 2005. The Buckeye Heat placed third in the Stingrays Invitational June 12th, 2005, tied for third at  Sluggerfest II June 26th 2005, finished 17th out of 55 teams July 3rd, 2005 at the Colorado Fireworks tournament, finished 3rd  out of 24 teams July 17th, 2005 at GAPSS. The Buckeye Heat tied for 1st July 24th, 2005 at the Toledo Fastpitch Classic, and played up at the 18-U level at GFOD Final Blast II  July 31st, 2005 where they won the tournament. The Buckeye Heat 16-U Abraham teams' final record for the  2005 summer season was 47-18 with most of the players on the team still being 14-U eligible.

2006 Buckeye Heat Team	1st Toledo Fastpitch Classic	1st GFOD Final Blast II