Timberland High girls’ softball standout Makayla Hurst has given a commitment to the University of Utah. Hurst is currently one of the top hitters in the St. Louis area with an impressive batting average of .731.
This is not a misprint. After eight games, Hurst is batting .731 with two home runs and 14 runs batted in. She is currently 19-for-26 with five walks and eight runs scored.
I have watched this young lady basically grow up in a softball uniform and she has developed into a special talent on the diamond. An excellent first baseman, Hurst has been playing softball on a year-round basis for more than a decade.
“I started playing softball when I was six years old,” she said. “The moment I picked up a bat, I fell in love with the game.”
A four-year starter at Timberland, Hurst hit .354 with 19 runs batted in as a sophomore. Last season, she hit .532 with two home runs and 26 RBI with a slugging percentage of .844. She has opened up her senior year with some sparking performances at the plate.
Hurst was four-for-four with a double, home run and four RBI in a 12-2 victory over Fort Zumwalt North. She was three-for-three with two doubles and two RBI in a victory over Ladue. She was also three-for-six with a home run and two RBI in a victory over Fort Zumwalt West.
During the summer, Hurst played select ball with the St. Louis Chaos, a team of elite players that play in tournaments all over the country. She put up some impressive numbers with the Chaos, hitting .344 with 12 home runs, 60 RBIs and 37 runs scored.
“The summer is my favorite part of the year,” Hurst said. “I get to travel all over the U.S. with my best friends, and it couldn’t get any better than that. I couldn’t imagine not playing softball year-round. It’s my getaway from everything, and I love it.”
Makayla’s parents, Ty and Laura, have been there every step of the way. They have logged literally thousands of miles over the years, getting her to tournaments and making sure she perfected her craft. The end result has been the emergence of a star player who is headed to one of the top collegiate programs in the country.
Hurst will be joining a program at Utah that is coming off a record-breaking season. The Utes finished the 2016 season with a 35-22 record and ranked No. 16 in the final national polls. Utah also earned a berth to the NCAA Tournament where they advanced all the way to the Super Regionals.
“The moment I stepped on Utah’s campus, I knew I wanted to go there,” Hurst said. “It was a beautiful campus and when I met Coach A (head coach Amy Hogue), we clicked. I never I had that feeling before. I knew I was meant to be a Ute.”
When Hurst is not swatting softballs all over the ball park, she is also a two-time All-State performer in the discus for Timberland’s track and field team.
