SPRINGFIELD – Missouri State head softball coach Holly Hesse announced Wednesday the commitments of Riley Baber, Elizabeth Bobbitt, Aubrey Johansen, Brynn Romine and Halle Studer. All five signees will enter Missouri State as freshmen next fall.
 
Riley Baber • IF • 5-10 • Fr. • R/R • Overland Park, Kan. • Blue Valley Southwest HS
A four-year starter out of Blue Valley Southwest High (Kan.), Baber is a two-time conference champion and helped lead her team to the state tournament as a sophomore. She started every game as a freshman for the Timberwolves, batting .392 with 21 RBI, 23 runs scored and a team-leading six doubles. Baber exploded for her best season to date in her sophomore campaign as she led her team in batting average (.455), slugging percentage (1.026) and hits (35), while setting single-season school records in home runs (8), triples (7) and RBI (36). After a breakout sophomore season, she earned first-team All-Eastern Kansas League and 5A Kansas all-state second team honors, in addition to being named Offensive Player of the Year and a finalist for the Earl Award which honors the best defensive player of the year. Last season as a junior, Baber hit .415 and led the team with 21 RBI and 13 doubles as she earned first-team All-EKL honors for the second time in her career and was an all-state honorable mention selection. She also plays travel ball for the BC Peppers – Wallace 18U squad. Her father, Billy, played baseball and football at the University of Virginia, where he was selected in the 1997 MLB draft by the Florida Marlins and in the fifth round of the 2001 NFL Draft by the Kansas City Chiefs, where he played four years professionally across three NFL franchises. Her sister, Presley, is currently a freshman on the swim team at the University of Richmond.

Coach Hesse on Baber:
"We are excited to welcome Riley and her family from the Kansas City area. She is a tall, strong corner infielder with great knowledge of the game and has a steady, calm presence at the plate. With her strength comes definite power and the ability to hit the ball out of the park on any given swing. Riley possesses natural leadership skills, a "gym rat" mentality and a positive spirit which all fit perfectly into our culture."


Elizabeth "EB" Bobbitt • UTL • 5-10 • Fr. • R/R • Prosper, Texas • Walnut Grove HS
A utility player out of Walnut Grove High (Texas), EB is a two-time district champion for the Wildcats. A two-sport athlete in her freshman and sophomore seasons, Bobbitt has collected academic all-district honors three times in softball and twice in basketball. In her sophomore season on the diamond, Bobbitt was named to the all-district second team before earning first-team honors as a junior. She also plays travel ball for Glory Adkins Gold 18U.

Coach Hesse on Bobbitt:
"We are happy to welcome EB and her family from the Dallas, Texas area. She is an athletic utility player that has the ability to move from the outfield to the middle infield with ease. Her strong arm allows her to throw runners out from both center field and the 5-6 hole when playing on the infield. She has a great understanding of her swing, and can hit for both power and average. We look forward to adding EB to our lineup for many years to come."


Aubrey Johansen • P/UTL • 5-8 • Fr. • R/R • Dallas Center, Iowa • Dallas Center-Grimes HS
A two-time first-team all-state, all-district and all-conference selection, Johansen has helped lead Dallas Center-Grimes (Iowa) to two conference championships and state tournament appearances under coach Steve Schlafke, who is the father of Missouri State associate head coach Kasey Griffith. She began playing for the Mustangs as an eighth-grader, batting .449 with 10 doubles and 22 RBI en route to earning a second-team all-conference nod prior to officially starting high school academically. As a freshman, Johansen racked up another second-team all-conference honor in addition to being named to the all-state third team after batting .285 with four homers and 37 RBI. She bounced back with her best season to date in her sophomore campaign as the Mustangs finished second in the Class 4A state tournament and won a conference title. Johansen owned a .497 batting average with 10 home runs and 42 RBI, while also owning a 1.99 earned run average in the circle. The dual-threat collected first-team all-state, all-conference and all-district laurels in both her sophomore and junior seasons, and was named to the Iowa High School all-tournament team in her sophomore season. Her junior season saw the Mustangs repeat as conference champions with a 29-11 record as she recorded a .424 average and 32 RBI. She is a two-sport athlete at Dallas Center-Grimes, earning all-conference recognition and playing for the 4A state champion basketball squad. She also plays travel ball for Central Iowa Alliance.

Coach Hesse on Johansen:
"We are thrilled to welcome Aubrey and her family from the Des Moines, Iowa area. She is a true utility player who can do it all - pitch, hit, steal bases, play infield or outfield - and do it at a high level. She lets her athleticism do the talking with a quiet demeanor and persistent competitiveness. At the plate, she has natural pop in her bat and a knack for coming through in big situations. Aubrey will add great depth and versatility to the Bears lineup."


Brynn Romine • OF • 5-4 • Fr. • L/R • Gravette, Ark. • Gravette HS
A 5-4 outfielder out of Gravette High (Ark.), Romine helped lead the Lions to a state title in her junior season. She is a two-time recipient of the Lions' best defensive player award, and as a freshman she collected all-conference honors. In her junior campaign, Romine was part of a 23-2 squad that won district, regional, conference and 4A state championships in addition to earning all-state honors. She also plays travel ball for Aces Fastpitch.

Coach Hesse on Romine:
"We are happy to welcome Brynn and her family from Gravette, Arkansas. She is a dynamic and athletic outfielder who has the ability to cover ground and track down balls in the gaps. Offensively, she is a gap-to-gap hitter who knows how to control the barrel and stay inside the ball very well. She is a true triple threat, and can go from laying down a bunt in one at-bat to knocking the ball out of the park in the next. We are excited to welcome her into our program."


Halle Studer • IF • 5-5 • Fr. • R/R • Wathena, Kan. • Riverside HS
A four-year starter for coach Tristan Allen at Riverside High (Kan.), Studer has posted impressive numbers throughout her entire high school career. As a freshman for the Cyclones, she immediately announced her presence, batting .530 with 18 RBI, eight doubles, four homers and 37 runs scored. Her encore performance saw her best season to date, as she hit .673 with 27 RBI, 12 home runs, 10 doubles and scored 39 runs in her sophomore campaign. Her performance in her sophomore season helped her earn Big 7 All-League honorable mention honors. Last season as a junior, Studer one again eclipsed the .600 batting average mark at .635 with career highs in doubles (15), runs scored (44) and hits (40). As a result of her stellar senior season, she was named to the Big 7 All-League first team and was an all-state honorable mention selection. Throughout her three seasons of high school action, she has climbed form No. 87 to No. 62 in the Class of 2024 rankings by Extra Innings Softball. She also plays travel ball for the Aces Fastpitch Club.

Coach Hesse on Studer:
"We are excited to welcome Halle and her family from small town Wathena, Kansas. Halle is a talented middle infielder who makes up for her size in grit, confidence and her competitive spirit. She has a tremendous first step and makes a lot of tough plays look easy. She has great speed and smoothness on the bases, and is always aggressive on the base paths. At the plate, she is a consistent bat and a very tough out, and we are excited to welcome her to the Bear softball family."