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Men's Baseball-Zach Hurley
Woman's Softball- Kim Reeder
Springboro slugger says he's going to Ohio State
By Ron Jackson
Dayton Daily News
Springboro High School hitting machine Zach Hurley has verbally committed to Ohio State University after making his visit over the weekend.
Hurley helped the Panthers baseball team to a 21-7 record last spring and a district title-game appearance.The Panthers' MVP batted .471, had eight triples and 34 RBIs. Hurley, who is currently a starting defensive back for the undefeated Springboro football team, will officially sign Nov. 10.
"They treated me with the highest respect throughout the whole recruiting process," Hurley said. "Every player who has played for coach Bob Todd has walked away with a Big Ten championship ring. That's powerful. Playing at Ohio State has been a dream of mine since I was a kid."
OSU's head coach Bob Todd has built the Buckeyes into a national-caliber program at what is considered a northern school. He has guided Ohio State to seven regular-season Big Ten titles and 10 NCAA tournament berths.
Woman's Softball- Kim Reeder
Posted on Tue, Oct. 05, 2004
Notre Dame pitcher commits to Ohio State
By JOHN DEVINE
Herald Staff Writer
She doesn't like frigid weather.
Then again, it would have been hard for Kim Reeder to pass up a brand new wardrobe -- not to mention a free college education.
So Reeder, a senior pitcher for Notre Dame and the Herald's softball player of the year, verbally committed to Ohio State on a softball scholarship -- a program that wasn't even on her radar screen this time last year.
"I hadn't even considered them," Reeder said. "I had not planned on going this far away. But I developed a rapport with the coaches and players right away. I liked it."
Figuring out which schools were sincere and which were painting a false picture left her confused and at times disappointed.
"I didn't have a very good summer," Reeder said. "The recruiting process isn't all it's cut out to be. One day a school is calling and the next you don't exist."
And while some 35 schools kept in contact from over 200 that had expressed interest, only one left a lasting impression. Reeder choices also narrowed with an abundance of freshman pitchers this year. Had she been a senior last year, the 17-year-old might have been in more demand.
"Had I been a senior last year, I could have had my pick of any school," Reeder said.
As it was Reeder still found herself being pursued by Boston College, Arkansas, Fullerton State, Stanford, Arizona State and Tennessee.
In fact she took an unofficial visit to Tennessee, where former Spirits teammate Lindsay Schutzler and All-American pitcher and North Salinas alum Monica Abbott attend.
In need of another hurler to complement Abbott, Tennessee's interest seemed sincere.
"Tennessee was the most active recruiter and then they just dropped off the face of the earth," Reeder said. "I never really heard much from them again."
Reeder, who began receiving letters from colleges when she was a freshman, felt like she was being yanked one way and pulled another by some schools.
"When you get this cutthroat stuff, it makes you question the entire process," said her mother, Cindy. "You can't commit without at least a visit. You don't go on blind faith."
What was evident was that Ohio State seemed serious about Reeder wearing the scarlet and grey. It's also a program on the rise in the Big 10.
Two years ago the Buckeyes were ranked 13th in the nation and set a school record for wins with 55. Last spring, Ohio State posting a 35-25 record.
If the program has been missing something, it's been a dominate pitcher.
"I've been told that I'll likely step in and be their No. 1 pitcher," said Reeder, who has 13 no-hitters over the last two years at Notre Dame.
Not that Reeder needed any assurances, but she also was assured that she will get to wear her uniform No. 7.
Ohio State put a little pressure on Reeder as well. Before she left on her visit in September, there was push from the coach for a commitment.
But Reeder asked and was granted an extra week so she could take one more visit.
"They did give me a date on a verbal," Reeder said. "But I needed to be sure. Visiting another school only solidified my feelings that this was the right place for me."
That and a chance to fly back and watch the Ohio State-Michigan football game in November.
"You get that old college feeling you don't get in California," Reeder said. "It's so rich in tradition. It had that college feeling that I envisioned. It'll be hard to leave the beach life. But now I'll have four seasons."
Last year Reeder's fastball had some pop. At one point, her riser was clocked at 69 mph (about equal to a 90 mph fastball in baseball).
Consistent between 63-67 on the radar gun, the 5-foot-9 Reeder believed what caught a lot of recruiters attention over the summer was her drop and drop curve.
"It was unhittable at the nationals," Reeder said. "A lot of colleges told me they liked my presence on the mound."
Over the last two years, Reeder has compiled a 56-3 record with 44 shutouts and over 500 strikeouts. During her junior year, she posted an 0.00 earned run average.
And while pitching is what has seen Reeder fill up two shoe boxes with letters, her bat and fielding didn't go unnoticed.
If Reeder needed another selling point, it came when Ohio State offered her a chance to hit and play the infield and outfield when she wasn't pitching.
"If I'm performing, they'll let me bat when I'm pitching," Reeder said.
A three-year starter on the Spirits soccer team, Reeder was told she could try out for the soccer team.
"I was excited until I learned soccer is in the fall in college," Reeder said. "But that would mean missing some football games."