Yellowjacket Softball Signs Two for 2010-11

BILLINGS, Mont. – Montana State Billings head softball coach, Anthony Stone, has announced the signings of Samantha Church and Amanda Todd to play for the Yellowjackets starting in the 2010-11 season. Church and Todd join Olivia Heidinger who signed earlier with the Yellowjackets as the first signees for the 2010-11 season.

A native of Columbus, MT, Samantha Church was a three sport athlete at Columbus High School. Excelling in softball, cross country and basketball, Church has been named first team all-state softball three consecutive seasons.

“Sam is someone I’ve had my eye on since I was an assistant with the program long ago,” said Stone. “She is one of those players who can do anything you ask of her and makes the best adjustments of any hitter I’ve seen in a long time. Couple that with her aggressiveness in defense and base running, you have someone with a lot of potential to beat teams in several different ways.”

Church holds school records for most RBIs in a season, highest batting average in a season, most stolen bases in a season and most home runs in a season. Heading into the state playoffs, Church was batting .508 with 31 hits in 19 games, including 11 doubles, two triples and a team-high seven home runs.

While at Columbus HS Church helped the team to four consecutive state championship appearances, winning the title three straight years before falling in the title game this season. She also helped Columbus to a fourth place finish at the 2010 state basketball championships.

Academically Church was involved in Key Club, Pep Club, Relay for Life and Re Act. An honor roll student, Church was selected as academic all-state all four years in softball and cross country, and three years for basketball.

Amanda Todd was a four year letterwinner at Skyview High School in Billings and was a first team all-state player at shortstop in 2009. Also in 2009, Todd was named to the Great Falls Tribune Super State team for her play at second base.

“Amanda is a very mature, level headed young lady and will be a strong addition to our squad in the upcoming seasons,” Stone said. “She is a versatile player who has a monster infield arm and can log some innings in the circle for us as well. Not only that, but offensively she is a huge threat, as she can hit for both power and average, and when you have hitters like that in your lineup, you won’t be leaving too many runners on base.”
Todd also earned all-state honors in 2008 and was named second team all-conference in 2007. She won the teams’ Blue Bomber award in 2008 and 2009 along with winning the teams’ Golden Glove award in 2007.

She helped lead Skyview to a third place finish at the state tournament in 2009 and this season was batting .319 with four home runs and 15 RBIs heading into the post season. She also carried a .596 slugging percentage and had 15 walks.