JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – Carson-Newman head softball coach Vickee Kazee-Hollifield has announced the signing of four players to national letters of intent.
Elayna Siebert and Cassie Lyons will join the Eagles this spring while Jeanie Perrucci and Hannah Melhorn will hop on board in the spring of 2014.
Jeanie Perrucci (Duluth, Ga.) is an four-time all-county first team pitcher and 2012 all-state hurler for Dawn Marsh at Duluth High School. In 2009 and 2010 Perrucci helped the Wildcats to the Georgia state playoffs in 2009 and 2010.
Perrucci's aunt Angela played basketball at Ball State and Rutgers. Her parents are Lilliana and Mario Perrucci. Perrucci is an honor roll student and chose C-N for its welcoming environment and support between athletics and academics.
"She's two dimensional in the field – she can play outfield and pitch." Carson-Newman head coach Vickee Kazee-Hollifield said. "At the plate, she's three dimensional. She can slap it, she can bunt it and she can hit it."
Perrucci was also recruited by Middle Tennessee State, Alderson-Broaddus and Georgia Gwinnett. Perrucci will enroll at Carson-Newman in the fall of 2013.
Hannah Melhorn (Coalfield, Tenn.) chose Carson-Newman after being recruiting by Lincoln Memoria, Catawba, Austin Peay, Tusculum, Union (Tenn.) and Point University. The 5-5 infielder from Coalfield High School will play for C-N in the spring of 2014.
Melhorn has helped the Jackets to three straight district championships and state tournament appearance in 2011.
"The word that comes to me when I think about her is 'steady,'" Kazee-Hollifield said. "She's just a consistent and a hard-nosed ball player."
Melhorn was Morgan County's Junior of the Year and an all-district, region, tournament and state nominee.
Her parents are Chris and Paula Melhorn. She's from an athletically-inclined family. Melhorn's cousin Larry Sievers was a two-time all-American football player at the University of Tennessee. Cousins Tommy Laurendine and Charlie Seivers played at Lenoir-Rhyne and Tennessee Tech, respectively; while her cousin Jennifer Seivers starred on Maryville's volleyball team.
Melhorn has an opportunity to be her school's valedictorian as well.
Elayna Siebert (Knoxville, Tenn.) will join the Eagles in the spring of 2013. The Karns High School product was an all-district selection in 2010, 2011 and 2012 while playing for her parents Rick and Judy Siebert.
"She's got an explosive bat. Another lefty that's sound defensively," Kazee-Hollifield said. "Looking for her to come in and be a solid contact hitter for us."
The middle infielder helped Karns to district titles in her final three seasons at the school and a regional title in 2010. A 2011 all-state selection, Siebert plans to major in psychology at C-N. She was on the honor roll every year in high school.
Cassie Lyons (Knoxville, Tenn.), a 5-3 pitcher, also will join Carson-Newman this season. She and Siebert starred on the same high school teams. Lyons was lauded in 2010 as the district's MVP, in addition to garnering all-tournament honors.
"Cassie had a stellar high school career," Kazee-Hollifield said. "She's a workhorse and the type of kid that likes to have the ball in her hands. She's the type of pitcher that's not afraid to go up and challenge batters."
Lyons' parents are Karen and Kevin Lyons. The future health major already has connections to Carson-Newman – her uncle Donny Walker donned the orange and blue for the Eagles football team.
Lyons and Siebert will both be available for C-N's season opening double-header against Belmont Abbey, February 2.
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