Tag Archive for: WPF

LIVING THE DREAM: MORGAN HOWE

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AUSTIN TX- Morgan Howe’s softball journey began in San Diego at Westview High School, where she quickly established herself as a formidable player. Over her high school career, she registered an impressive 87 RBIs, contributing significantly to the Wolverines’ success. Her leadership helped the team achieve a winning record in all four seasons and qualify for the CIF Open Division playoffs in 2015, following a finalist finish in 2014. Morgan’s remarkable talent earned her the 2015 Palomar League Player of the Year title and Cal Hi Sports All-State second-team honors. Additionally, she was a two-time first-team All-CIF San Diego section and All-Palomar League recipient. Her exceptional hitting skills were recognized with the varsity Golden Bat Award, and she was named Most Outstanding Hitter in 2013, 2014, and 2015.

Out of high school, Morgan began her college career at Fresno State, where she made an immediate impact as a freshman. Known for her clutch hitting, she frequently came off the bench to deliver in critical situations, pinch-hitting in 30 of 46 game appearances. Morgan recorded 26 hits in 70 at-bats and scored seven runs, proving to be a valuable asset to the team.

In her sophomore year at Fresno State, Morgan saw a significant increase in playing time and production. She led the team with a .418 batting average (33rd in NCAA), .494 on-base percentage (49th in NCAA), .621 slugging percentage, 64 hits, 19 multi-hit games, and 95 total bases, mostly from the third spot in the lineup.

After her sophomore year, Morgan transferred to Arizona State to finish out the final two seasons of her eligibility. As a junior outfielder, she was a spark at the plate for ASU, leading the squad in RBIs (42), and ranking second in batting average (.361) and hits (69). Her performance earned her All-Pac-12 Second Team and NFCA All-Region Second Team honors, marking her second consecutive year receiving such accolades.

Morgan’s senior season at Arizona State went out with a loud bang. She led the ASU offense with 61 RBIs, recording 19 multi-RBI games. The 61 RBIs rank 8th of all time in Sun Devil history and 16th nationally for 2019. Morgan was elected First Team All-American, PAC-12 First Team, and NFCA All-Region First Team. Her .400 batting average ranked second on the team in 2019, as did her 51 runs and 16 doubles.

Although she graduated from Arizona State, it was clear by her trajectory that her playing career was far from over. Out of college, she was a part of the inaugural season of Athletes Unlimited, where she spent two seasons. She then signed a contract with the WPF’s Vipers organization. After that, she stayed in the league but found a new home in Texas with the Smoke, a team owned by Brandon Phillips, who urged Morgan to give them a chance. She did, and it paid off. Morgan had a tremendous first year with the Smoke, earning the WPF Offensive Player of the Year. She has now signed an extension and will be with the team at least through the summer of 2025.

This is Morgan’s third time giving YSN her time, and she’s a great friend of the network. We hope you enjoy this candid interview where she talks about her journey, mental and physical hurdles along the way, and much more. Exclusively on YSN!

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LIVING THE DREAM: SARA FESSLER

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AUSTIN TX- Sara Fessler’s softball career has been defined by her relentless drive to push her limits and elevate her game. From her early days at Magnificat High School, where she dazzled the local community, to her current role as a professional player with the Texas Monarchs, Sara has consistently challenged herself to raise the bar.

In high school, Sara was a standout at Magnificat, earning four letters and serving as a three-time captain. She batted an impressive .700 during her junior season and was a two-time Northeast Ohio Honorable Mention selection. Her leadership and talent were evident from the start, setting the stage for her future success.

Sara began her collegiate journey at Ursuline College in Division 2. After getting her feet wet during her freshman season, she became a key player in her sophomore year, starting 31 of 32 games. She recorded a .323 batting average with 30 hits, seven doubles, a triple, and seven RBIs. Defensively, she tallied 73 putouts and 76 assists, with a .892 fielding percentage. Sara’s speed was also a weapon, as she stole seven bases and batted .379 in conference games.

Sara’s junior season at Ursuline was even more impressive. She was named first-team Great Midwest Athletic Conference after batting .442 with 11 doubles, six triples, four home runs, and 20 RBIs. She scored 37 runs, slugged .713, and posted a 1.203 OPS. Starting all 39 games, Sara had two 11-game hitting streaks and stole 14 bases in 15 attempts. Her .400 batting average in conference games underscored her consistency and impact.

Transferring to Youngstown State for her senior season, Sara made an immediate impact. She started 51 games, batting .369 with 41 runs scored, 12 doubles, five home runs, 15 stolen bases, and 17 RBIs. Her .541 slugging percentage and .492 on-base percentage highlighted her offensive prowess. Sara quickly became one of the best players in the conference, never phased by the higher level of competition.

In her fifth year at YSU, Sara continued to excel, batting .305 with 45 runs scored, nine doubles, a triple, nine home runs, and 21 RBIs. She recorded a .565 slugging percentage and a .449 on-base percentage, with 14 multi-hit games, capping off her college career with a bang.

After graduation, Sara seized the opportunity to challenge herself once more by trying out for and making the Texas Monarchs, a professional team in the WPF. Playing alongside and against some of the best players in the world, Sara has found a consistent role on the team. Her journey is a testament to her willingness to step out of her comfort zone and strive for greatness.

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LIVING THE DREAM: KELLY TORRES

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Kelly Torres always had a front-row seat to the action. Growing up, she spent countless hours watching her brothers play baseball. Naturally, it wasn’t long before she was drawn to the diamond herself. It quickly became clear that Kelly was destined to be the star athlete of the family. As she started to shine, big-name colleges began to take notice.

Even before Duke had a softball program, Kelly had her sights set on the Blue Devils. She was all in from day one, showing up early to their first-ever camp and even helping the staff set up Bownets. Duke wasn’t just a dream—it was destiny for Kelly.

During her four years at Duke, Kelly put up some serious stats. She hit .302, belted 15 homers, and drove in 93 runs. She also crossed home plate exactly 100 times. But it wasn’t just her bat that turned heads. Kelly’s glove work behind the plate earned her a reputation as one of the top catchers, not just in the ACC, but in the entire country.

Graduation didn’t mark the end of Kelly’s softball journey. She jumped into the WPF (Women’s Professional Fastpitch) this summer with the Texas Monarchs. Now, she’s aiming to set the bar for professional softball, just like she did at Duke.

Kelly’s advice for athletes moving from high school to college softball? Never be satisfied. Set your goals, write them down, and chase them down with everything you’ve got.

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ALVELO CARRIES HER SMALL TOWN ROOTS TO THE BIGGEST STAGE

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It’s undeniable that the valley is seeing a tremendous growth in softball talent over the last 5 years. That trend of growth is not just confined the YSN coverage map though, the whole state of Ohio is seeing a massive uptick in premier softball players.  We just watched Austintown Fitch win a state championship. Led by not just one of the best players in the state, but one of the top ranked players in the country in the Class of 2025.  Sydnie Watts is the kind of talent that programs might get once in their whole existence.  As she chases milestones and goals we wanted to hear from a player that set the tone for Ohio softball. Taran Alvelo is one of the most decorated softball players to come out of the state of Ohio.  The former Bloom Carroll standout holds multiple state records. Her 1,515 career strikeouts are the most anyone has ever had. She has the record for most career wins in the circle with 108.  Alvelo also has the record for most strikeouts in a state tournament game with 24.  Alvelo led her team to three state title games, and won one of them. During her junior season she was named Gatorade Player of the Year for the state of Ohio.

Taran’s recruiting story is different than the ones we have grown used to over the last several seasons. In Taran’s time players could commit much earlier. Before she stepped on a high school field Alvelo was committed to Washington.  Seattle was a place she knew she wanted be since she saw them win the WCWS in 2009.  The purple and gold confetti stuck in her mind, and she was determined to see it herself. In her words from that moment, even at that early age she never saw that dream as one that couldn’t be reached.  With her tenacity she eventually made that dream a reality.

When people hear “committed to Washington as a freshman” they might think the journey was easy. After all if you’re not stressing about where you’ll end up, what could go wrong.  Well that’s not all true. Alvelo still had her fair share of adversity that came with her journey to Washington.  The sacrifices she had to make to stay at that level throughout her young career are more than a lot of people are willing to make.  There’s also a lot of pressure that comes with everyone knowing you’re going to play at a program like Washington. People inevitably want to see greatness fail if they aren’t a part of it.  Taran went through high school with the constant target on her back. That kind of pressure was a lot on her.  She got through it though thanks to the support from the people in her corner. Whether it was her local small town community in Carroll, or people like Washington head coach Heather Tarr constantly giving her reassurance that Washington had her back as a person. The people in Taran’s life were always able to lift her up to the next level.

Alvelo ended up not just going to Washington, but becoming one of the best pitchers in the nation during her time there. Here are some of the accolades that Alvelo gathered during her time as a Husky.  She earned freshman of the year in the Pac 12 her first year on campus, was a two time NFCA All American, as a junior she was a finalist for USA Softball’s Player of the Year, she took her Huskies to the WCWS championship series her senior year and was named on the All-WCWS team.

Washington was not the final stop on Alvelo’s softball journey. After her senior season she was drafted into the NPF (National Pro Fastpitch) league to the Aussie Peppers and was then traded to the USSSA Pride.  With the Pride Taran won the Cowles Cup.  She would continue her professional career with a stint in the Athletes Unlimited league. She recently signed back to the USSSA Pride to compete in the newly established WPF (Women’s Pro Fastpitch).  Taran continues to grow the game by paving the way for younger players to have the dream of being a professional softball player.

Taran was gracious enough to take time out of her busy schedule during Opening Day in the WPF to be on YSN’s Running Point to talk about her high school career at Bloom-Carroll, she gives advice to athletes going through the recruitment process now, and so much more. Check out this exclusive interview with one of Ohio’s softball legends only on YSN.

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