Irwin announces the signings of Bowen, Farr and Shelton

JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (Dec. 5, 2018)– Coming off its second straight appearance in the Southern Conference title game, ETSU softball head coach Brad Irwin and his staff announced the signing of three student-athletes on Wednesday.

Irwin added outfielder Lili Bowen (Charlotte, N.C.), right-handed pitcher Allison Farr (Knoxville, Tenn.) and infielder Jayla Shelton (Indianapolis, Ind.).

Coach Irwin and his staff are extremely pleased with this group as they bring winning and competitive pedigrees to Johnson City.

“We are very excited about this class,” said Irwin. “This group comes from winning backgrounds and they are very competitive athletes. This class fits our needs athletically, and they are three outstanding young ladies with tremendous families. We look forward to them joining our Buccaneer family.”

LILI BOWEN – R/R – OUTFIELDER – CHARLOTTE, N.C. (PROVIDENCE HS)

• Lettered in both softball and basketball at Providence High School
• Two-time all-district and all-conference member (2017-18)
• Hit .422 with 68 hits, 18 doubles, three triples, six home runs, 57 runs and 56 RBI over her first three seasons at Providence High School

BOWEN ON SIGNING WITH ETSU…

I signed with ETSU because of the culture the coaching staff has created. I have relatives in Kingsport and I love the East Tennessee area. ETSU also offers a variety of majors, and I like the size of the campus.

COACH IRWIN ON BOWEN…

Lili is a tremendous hitter, and she will provide a boost to our lineup. She has faced top-level pitching as she plays for an outstanding travel organization.

ALLISON FARR – R/R – PITCHER – KNOXVILLE, TENN. (POWELL HS)

• Four-year letterwinner for Coach Jeff Inman at Powell High School
• Is 75-14 with a 1.26 ERA (91 ER/506.1 IP) with 589 strikeouts in 92 appearances (90 starts) in her first three seasons … Totaled five no-hitters and 28 shutouts
• Led Powell to the state title in 2018 and runner-up honors in 2017
• Earned 5Star Preps Player of the Year honors and was a Knox News Sports Player of the Year finalist
• Two-time all-state member and earned all-tournament team MVP honors in 2018

FARR ON SIGNING WITH ETSU…

I really loved the campus – it was the perfect fit for me! Coach Irwin and the staff have done a tremendous job building a winning program. I also love how it is close to home.

COACH IRWIN ON FARR…

Ali will provide an instant boost to our pitching staff. She is already an accomplished pitcher and has a tremendous amount of potential. She led her high school to a state championship and plays for a top-Level travel organization where she has competed at a high level.  

JAYLA SHELTON – R/R – INFIELDER – INDIANAPOLIS, IND. (SCECINA MEMORIAL HS)

• Earned varsity letters by playing for Coach Cory Gray at Scecina Memorial High School
• Has registered a .390 batting average with a .476 on-base percentage over her high school career
• Is also a competitive swimmer
• Cousin Hayley played soccer at IUPUI

SHELTON ON SIGNING WITH ETSU…

ETSU has a great coaching staff, and I really wanted to go to school in Tennessee. The university has great academics and outstanding athletic programs.

COACH IRWIN ON SHELTON…

Jayla is an outstanding athlete. She can play multiple positions and is a true triple threat at the plate. She slaps, plays the short game well and can hit for power. 

For more information on Buccaneer softball, visit ETSUBucs.com and click on the softball link.