By Thomas Corhern, TTU Sports Information
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – As the leaves start to fall and the weather gets cooler, the Tennessee Tech softball team is focusing on recruiting, preparing for the seasons ahead. With the first signing day for new Golden Eagle skipper Danielle Penner, Tech softball added two exciting new prospects for the program in Abbee Klinefelter (Clearwater, Fla.) and Emily York (Normal, Ill.).
"These two student-athletes are capable of making immediate impacts in our Golden Eagle Softball program," Penner said. "They are impressively talented, both offensive and defensively, possess a high ceiling and embrace a growth mindset. We are excited to see them in purple and gold for the next four years. Wings Up!"
Klinefelter has a solid resume at Clearwater High as a Pinellas County Athletic Conference first-teamer as a utility player, a Florida Athletic Coaches Association first-team All-State selection at catcher for two straight years and the FACA Class 4A Player of the Year in addition to team MVP honors. An excellent student as well, Klinefelter was also a member of the FACA's Academic All-State team.
During her COVID-shortened freshman campaign, Klinefelter batted .471 with six RBI, but her numbers exploded as a sophomore and junior. In 2021, she batted .549 with 39 hits, 34 RBI and five home runs. This past season, she hit .611 with 33 hits, 38 RBI and three home runs. Klinefelter also had an on-base percentage of .675 last year.
She has also competed with the Clearwater Bullets 18U club team.
York, who will enter her senior campaign at Bloomington Central Catholic High this spring, has earned several accolades as she has been named first-team all-state and all-conference, while also being named the team's MVP.
She set the BCCHS single-season record for strikeouts as a sophomore with 206, then shattered her own record in her junior campaign – whiffing 236 batters this past season.
Last year, in 135 innings, York posted a 1.80 earned run average and a 1.1 WHIP, improving on her sophomore campaign of a 2.1 ERA and 1.1 WHIP across 140 innings. She helped lead BCCHS to regional championships in both seasons.
York is also a very capable hitter. As a sophomore, she batted .447 with 28 RBI and eight home runs among her 46 hits. Last season, York had six home runs and 38 RBI as she hit .406.
She has also competed with the nationally ranked Beverly Bandits Conroy club team.