Top 2009 Pitchers

by Duane Treybig

Nov. 16, 2007 - Heather Haas, Sydney Friday and Courtney Repka lead this class of Texas pitchers.  Heather Haas is a 5' 8" junior pitcher from Shiner High School. Heather
has definitely proved herself at the high school level since she has been selected to the Texas Girls Association All-State Class 1A All-State Team and Collin Street Bakery All-State 1st Team Pitcher after her 
freshman (2006) and sophomore seasons (2007).  College Sports Exposure radared Heather's fastball at 61 mph when CSE filmed her softball skills video.  Heather has been radared by other sources at 65 mph.  Heather has an excellent riseball, drop ball, screwball, curve ball 
and change-up to go with her fastball.  Her pitching instructor is Robert Maxey of Shiner, Texas. Heather reminds me of University of Oklahoma and Big 12 2007 MVP pitcher Lauren  Eckermann from Brehnam.  CSE 
radered Lauren at 60 mph when we filmed her softball skills video and later got her at 63 mph all night long against Carla Kennimer and New Caney in the play-offs at University of Houston field.

Sydney Friday pitches for The Kincaid School  in Houston and Texas Magic Gold Sessum. Last season Sydney pitched for Houston Power 16U. Houston Power 16U won Houston Metro last season.   Sydney  is 5' 8" and has a riseball, drop 
ball, curve ball, screwball, fastball and change-up.  Sydney throws her fast ball between 61 and 62 mph.  College Sports Exposure radared Sydney's fast ball with their Juggs gun at 61 mph on her film day.  More importantly, Sydney's riseball spin is routinely 36-38 revolutions as measured with a revfire.  College pitchers routine spin is 20 to 30 revolutions.  

Courtney is 6' 1" tall and still growing.  She reminds of a right handed Cat Osterman.  She throws a 67 mph  fastball and can throw a change-up, rise ball, drop ball, screw ball and curve ball.  She lives in East Bernard. Her fastball was clocked at 67 mph by Tim Timmons at one of his pitching 
classes with a Juggs Radar Gun.  Her travel team is the 18U Magic Gold coached by Tommy Howell in Missouri City, Texas. Courtney verbally committed to Baylor in early Dec. of her junior year.

Kristen Curlin is primarily a riseball pitcher
at this stage.  She pitches for Deer Park High School and 
Texas Shockwave Gold.  
When she keeps her riseball 
low in the strike zone, she is 
a very dominate pitcher.  She was the starting and winning pitcher against Larry Durham Storm Gold at the ASA Gold Regionals in Beaumont this summer.  Kristen kept her riseball in the strike zone in that game for a 5-2 win that dropped Durham Storm's team into looser bracket.  Kristen also has a change-up, drop ball, screw ball and curve ball.  CSE radared Kristen's fastball when they filmed her softball skills video at 58 mph.  As you most college coaches know, pitchers always throw harder in big games when their adrenalin is pumping.

Last spring, Cy-Falls Eagles qualified for the play-offs in 2007 for the first time in school history (11 years).  Cy-Falls 
advanced to the 5A Regionals Quarter Finals. Brittany Taylor  was a back-up pitcher on their varsity team.  She finished 4-0  in District and 6-0 for the 
season for the Cy-Falls Eagles
 as a pitcher.  This summer, 
Brittany played 1st, 3rd and 
pitched for Glory out of Dallas.  Houston Power Gold picked Brittany up for ASA Gold Nationals in Oklahoma.  Brittany will be playing for Aces Gold this fall and is 
considered on of the top hitters  and 3rd baseman in the 2009 class.