THE FLATS – Georgia Tech softball head coach Aileen Morales added transfers Morgan Bruce, Tricia Awald and Amber Johns to the 2018-19 roster on Friday.
“All three of these players have won conference championships in the past two years at their respective universities,” said Morales. “They all will add championship experience to our roster which is integral to the vision for Georgia Tech softball. We are beyond excited to welcome Morgan, Tricia, and Amber to The Flats and to our softball program.”
Morgan Bruce (Roanoke, Va./Northside High School/Ole Miss)
Morgan Bruce joins the Yellow Jackets from Ole Miss, where she spent her first two seasons. The right-handed pitcher was the first SEC all-freshman selection in school history for the Rebels. She carries an 11-5 record over two seasons at Ole Miss with a career ERA of 3.19. The Roanoke native was a four-year letter winner at Northside High School and was recognized by Premier Girls Fastpitch as a 2016 Regional High School all-American.
Morales on Bruce: “Morgan is a talented pitcher and a proven winner at the highest level. She will be a huge addition in the circle for us and help give another look to our pitching staff. She has experience wining in postseason which is integral for our pitching staff and overall program goals.”
Tricia Awald (Marietta, Ga./Joseph Wheeler High School/Kennesaw State)
Tricia Awald comes to The Flats having completed her freshman season at Kennesaw State. In her freshman campaign, Awald made 54 starts, primarily in the infield. She led the Owls in batting average (.380), slugging (.727), on-base percentage (.489), runs (41), home runs (14) and RBI (42). The offensive threat was an ASUN all-tournament selection after hitting a leadoff homerun in the ASUN Championship game to help the Owls to their first ASUN Tournament title. Awald was also named the ASUN Freshman of the Year.
Morales on Awald: “Tricia swings a big bat and dominated opposing pitchers all year long. It’s no wonder she earned ASUN Freshman of the Year honors. Her ability to hit for power and in pressure situations is impressive. She will help increase our run production on offense and allow for more options on the infield.”
Amber Johns (Kennesaw, Ga./Kennesaw Mountain High School/North Georgia)
Amber Johns joins Tech from North Georgia where she spent her first two seaons. The right-handed pitcher competed for the Nighthawks for two seasons at the NCAA Division II level. In her sophomore season, she was named an NFCA first team all-American, a D2CCA third team all-American and NFCA and D2CCA first team all-region. She was among the top 10 finalists for NFCA Player of the Year. In 2018, Johns finished with a 0.76 ERA over 111 innings in the circle, allowing only 12 earned runs. She held an 18-0 record in the circle during the 2018 campaign and carries a 26-3 career record.
Morales on Johns: “Amber has been dominant as an all-American the past two seasons at one of the top Division II teams in the nation. Her ERA and accolades speak to her ability to help keep runs scored to a minimum. Her postseason experience and success will help add depth to our pitching staff and allow us to have more looks when facing an opponent multiple times.”
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