UCLA Softball Announces Signing Class

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UCLA head softball coach Kelly Inouye-Perez has announced the signing of five high school standouts to National Letters of Intent, representing the fourth-ranked recruiting class according to FullCountSoftball.com. Joining the Bruins for the 2015-2016 season are pitcher/utility Rachel Garcia (Palmdale, Calif./Highland HS/Corona Angels), utility player Paige Halstead (Rancho Cucamonga, Calif./Los Osos HS/Explosion), catcher Taylor Pack (Sutter, Calif./Sutter Union HS/Lady Magic), infielder Zoe Shaw (West Hills, Calif./El Camino Real HS/So Cal Choppers) and infielder Bree Tautalafua (Carson, Calif./Carson HS/Firecrackers-Rico).

“This 2015 class is strong and athletic and will add great confidence to our UCLA Softball program,” Inouye-Perez said. “I look forward to all of them representing the four letters both on and off the field.”

Garcia, a right-handed pitcher/utility player ranked #12 in the Full Count Softball player rankings, preps at Highland High School in Palmdale, Calif. She has been on the varsity team all four years, coached by Daniel Morrow. Garcia had an outstanding junior season for the Bulldogs, earning Golden League and Antelope Valley Press Player of the Year honors, as well as Los Angeles Daily News All-Area Team accolades. On a national level, Garcia was a MaxPreps First Team All-American, as well as a Second Team All-American by Student Sports and Full Count Softball and First Team All-State from Cal-Hi Sports.

A team captain, Garcia helped Highland to a spot in last year’s CIF quarterfinals and was named the team’s MVP, also earning school Scholar-Athlete and Big Stick awards. She was 21-3 last year in the circle with a 0.36 earned run average and 325 strikeouts in 156 innings. At the plate, Garcia hit .492 with eight home runs and 33 runs batted in. As a sophomore, she was California Gatorade Player of the Year, going 22-2 with a 0.50 ERA and 302 strikeouts in 139 innings, while hitting .709 with 13 homers and 44 RBI.

“Rachel is the top pitcher/hitter in the country,” Inouye-Perez said. “She is a power pitcher with great movement and changes speeds. Rachel possesses a great presence on the mound and at the plate. Her competitiveness will add strength to our lineup.”

Garcia plays travel ball with Corona Angels under coach Marty Tyson. She helped the Angels to first-place showings in the 2014 18-Under ASA Championship Cup and the Triple Crown/USA Nationals, also finishing second in the 18U Premier Girls Fastpitch National Championships. Garcia hit .397 with a team-leading 10 homers, adding a 14-2 mark with a 1.02 ERA.

“UCLA has been my dream school since I can remember picking up a softball,” Garcia said. “To have the opportunity to receive an education from one of the top academic colleges in the country that is so rich in tradition, while playing the game I love, is a privilege and an honor. I am looking forward to the challenges ahead and learning under an amazing coaching staff, and ultimately winning that national championship.”

Halstead, a left-handed hitting catcher/shortstop ranked #10 in the Full Count Softball player rankings, attends Los Osos High School in Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., where she has been a four-year varsity shortstop under coach Mike Randall. A Student Sports All-American, Halstead was a Cal-Hi Sports All-Area honoree last year, also earning Cal-Hi All-State, CIF Southern Section, All-Inland Valley and All-Baseline League First Team accolades. Halstead, a team captain, has helped the Grizzlies to three straight Baseline League championships, earning the league batting title in two of those three seasons.

Halstead hit .500 as a junior with six home runs, 30 runs batted in and 10 doubles, leading all league players with a .568 on base percentage and a .947 slugging and striking out just four times all season.

“Paige is a phenomenal athlete that can impact all positions on the field,” Inouye-Perez said. “She has a strong arm and will provide great power from the left side of the plate. Her versatility will impact our lineup in many ways.”

Halstead plays travel ball with Explosion under coach Bret Denio. A team captain, she has led the team in nearly every statistical category and helped Explosion to a seventh-place finish at PGF Nationals last year.

“UCLA is second to none in academics and athletics and was my number one choice of schools to attend,” Halstead said. “Thankfully, the coaches saw my desire, work ethic and love for the game of softball and helped make my dream, and the honor of contributing in a Bruins uniform and attending this great university, a reality.”

Pack, a right-handed hitting catcher/corner infielder ranked #31 in the Full Count Softball player rankings, plays at Sutter Union High School in Sutter, Calif., where she has played four years of varsity under coach Keith Gravel. Pack was the Most Valuable Player of the Butte View League for each of the last two seasons, also earning All-League accolades every year. The 2014 Appeal-Democrat Softball Player of the Year, she was a Cal-Hi Sports First Team honoree as a junior and has also earned three straight Gold Sox Baseball All-Metro Athlete awards.

Pack, who also earned All-Area honors as a sophomore and was the league Offensive POY as a freshman, has helped the Huskies to Northern Section Championships in each of the last two seasons. In three years, she has a .552 batting average with 17 home runs and 119 runs batted in. Pack hit .564 as a junior with nine homers and 50 RBI.

“Taylor is a very strong catcher who plays with great confidence,” Inouye-Perez said. “She also has a powerful swing and great work ethic and is a great leader behind the plate.”

Pack plays travel ball with Lady Magic under coaches Rick Havey and James Lewis. She helped her club team to a title at the 2014 IDT Boulder tournament, a fifth-place showing at the 2014 Premier Nationals and a runner-up finish at the 2013 ASA Nationals. Pack was also the 2012 OnDeck Softball National Elite Futures Camp Offensive Standout.

“I chose UCLA because I love the campus and atmosphere,” Pack said. “Academically it is perfect for me, and athletically, I want to compete at the highest level and win a National Championship. I love the game of softball because it’s not about yourself, but about sacrificing yourself for your team.”

Shaw, a right-handed infielder preps at El Camino Real High School in Woodland Hills, Calif. During her first two years at ECR, Shaw played on the baseball team, starting at second base for the boys’ Freshman/Sophomore team in 2012 and playing second for the boys’ Junior Varsity squad in 2013. Last season, she moved over to the El Camino Real softball team under coach Lori Chandler and started at third base, where she hit .449 in 26 games with three home runs, a league-leading 50 runs batted in and 11 stolen bases. She was All-West Valley League First Team and All-City Second Team, helping the Conquistadors to a league title. Shaw’s baseball plaudits included the honor of Offensive Player of the Year in 2012 with a .430 batting average and league titles in each of her two seasons.

“Zoe has great athleticism,” Inouye-Perez said. “She transitioned from baseball to softball and has great hands and approach on defense. I believe she will excel as a Bruin both in the infield and at the plate.”

Shaw plays travel ball with So Cal Choppers under coaches Dean and Gary Fausett, helping her team to a ninth-place finish at the 2014 PGF Nationals.

“The reason I decided to attend UCLA was because of the great athletic and educational history,” Shaw said. “I knew I would be competing and playing alongside some of the best players in the country. I loved the coaching staff and the family environment that they have created. I love to challenge myself and work hard to improve my athleticism, mentally and physically.”

Tautalafua, a right-handed hitting, left-side infielder ranked #29 in the Full Count Softball player rankings, plays at Carson High School in Carson, Calif., where she has played four years of varsity under coaches Cam Werner and Valentina Nabayan. Tautalafua has been a First Team All-Marine League selection each season, earning league Most Valuable Player honors in each of the last two campaigns. The 2014 All-City Player of the Year and a three-time All-City representative, she was also named the POY as a junior for the Wave Newspaper and a First Team All-American by Cal-Hi Sports and MaxPreps.

Tautalafua, a team captain, has helped the Colts to a pair of CIF Division I Los Angeles City Section Championships, as well as two Marine League titles. As a junior, she hit .563 with a single-season school-record 19 home runs and 60 runs batted in, a year after batting .587 with 15 homers and 59 RBI as a sophomore. Tautalafua’s 39 career home runs are 14 shy of the California State school record set by her sister, Darian. She is a two-sport star at Carson, also playing libero and outside hitter for two seasons on the volleyball team. Tautalafua, a high school teammate of current UCLA junior Brittany Moeai, plays travel ball with Firecrackers-Rico under coach Tony Rico.

“Bree is one of the most powerful hitters in her class,” Inouye-Perez said. “She has great confidence and presence both at the plate and in the infield. Bree will impact our lineup immediately.”

“UCLA has been my dream school since I was little,” Tautalafua said. “I also wanted to attend a Pac-12 school that was local to allow my family and friends to support me at games. I love the competitiveness of softball and playing at an elite level to improve my athleticism.”