Eva Tyrell will take over varsity softball coaching duties from departing coach Kimberly Griffith.
Tyrell will replace coach Kimberly Griffith, who is stepping down at the end of the season to spend more time with her two young children.
As a player for Latta, Tyrell pitched for 964 strikeouts and was selected as All-State all four years of her high school career. She helped Latta to four straight Class A title appearances from 2003 to 2006 and was also named Class A Player of the Year twice in her career.
“I have many great memories from Latta softball,” she said. “I had the opportunity to play with some awesome people and grew a lot as a player and person. One thing I will always remember is the excitement and adrenaline of competing for a state championship.”
After high school, she played at the University of Dayton in Dayton, Ohio, where she played for the Flyers while majoring gin Early Childhood Education. She pitched for four years for the Flyers, who compete in the Atlantic 10 Conference. Tyrell recorded 232 strikeouts in her college career and had seven wins in 22 starts during her senior year.
She completed her student teaching at Dayton and spent one semester as an undergraduate assistant. Tyrell is now in her second year as an assistant at Latta High and served as the junior varsity softball coach this season, and she is looking forward to taking over coaching duties next season.
“I am very thankful for this opportunity and excited about working with a great group of girls,” she said. “I have played with and learned from many talented people over the years. I hope to be able to share that knowledge and experience to help continue the tradition of Latta softball.”
The Lady Vikings finished the 2013 regular season with the Region 8-A title and claimed the District VIII championship on Saturday. Latta will host the winner of tonight’s game between East Clarendon and Hannah-Pamplico on either Friday or Saturday. Be sure to check thedillonherald.com for the latest playoff updates!
