Ballard's Brooke Gray, U of L commit, named Gatorade Kentucky Softball Player of the Year
Ballard High School senior pitcher Brooke Gray has been named the 2023 Gatorade Kentucky Softball Player of the Year.
The award recognizes athletic excellence, academic achievement and exemplary character demonstrated on and off the field.
Gray, a left-hander who has signed with the University of Louisville, carried a 27-0 record and 0.68 ERA into Friday’s state tournament semifinal against Rowan County. She entered the game with 287 strikeouts in 175 2/3 innings.
Gray had helped Ballard to a 34-1 record and top-10 spots in two national rankings — No. 2 by MaxPreps.com and No. 7 by USA Today/National Fastpitch Coaches Association.
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Off the field, Gray has maintained a B average in the classroom and volunteered as a youth pitching coach.
“Brooke is by far the best pitcher in Kentucky,” coach Alan Jones said. “She works very hard. After she gets done pitching a game, she goes to the gym that night and lifts for her legs. She is a great leader of our team.”
Gray is the fifth Ballard player to win the award, joining India Chiles (2003), Kristina Hortert (2005), Jessica Adell (2013) and Allie Skaggs (2019).
Jason Frakes: 502-582-4046; jfrakes@courier-journal.com; Twitter: @kyhighs.
This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Ballard softball Brooke Gray Gatorade Kentucky Player of the Year
