Big 12 School Gets Impressive 2022 Two-Fer

(On the front page, Elizabeth Schaefer–second from right— with Coaches Stacie Pestrak, Kenny Gajewski and Jeff Cottrill

Elizabeth Schaefer and Kaydee Bennett, both 2022 grads from Rockwall and Sunnyvale, Texas, respectively, have played softball together since they were eight years old and the best friends will continue to be lining up in the same dugout for many years in the future.

Like the next decade!

The eighth graders play on the Texas Travelers Gold team with Elizabeth starring in the circle and Kaydee providing stellar defense behind her at shortstop.

Though they’ll be attending different high schools starting this fall—Schaefer will go to Rockwall High and and Kaydee will suit up for Sunnyvale High—that will be the only time they won’t be cheering for each other from the same dug-out for close to 14 straight years as the pair of lifelong friends recently committed to both play for Kenny Gajewski at Oklahoma State

“Softball is much more than a game,” explains James Schaefer, Elizabeth’s father. “It is an avenue that helps empower young girls, but also an opportunity to for them to build strong friendships for years to come.”

You won’t find too many talented teammates as close as Elizabeth and Kaydee who have played club volleyball on a national level for Texas Assault’s 14U National Team and even have been in the line-up together in basketball helping lead a team to an undefeated season.

Each of them is on the A team in basketball, volleyball and track for their respective middle schools while Elizabeth is also on the A team in soccer.

But it’s on the softball field where the pair drew heavy recruiting attention from the likes of Washington, Texas A&M, Auburn, Mississippi State, Louisville, Arkansas and Minnesota, to name a few.

This next year (2018) the duo will represent Texas at the World Fastpitch Championship in Kansas City, Tulsa Elite, PGF Premier Division and play the Colorado Sparkler Power Pool and that’s following a pair of 3^rd place finishes in 2015 and 2017 at ASA/USA Softball Nationals.

Last year Schaefer and Bennett were chosen to represent Region 5 in the USA Softball All-American Games where the top 360 players across the United States played each other in Oklahoma City at Hall of Fame Stadium.  Their team ended up finishing 2nd.

Considered two of the top 2022’s in the nation—sidenote: stay tuned for a big announcement this weekend from Extra Inning Softball around the ’22 class!—Elizabeth and Kaydee could have gone as a two-fer to many top programs, but say the” comfortability they felt around Gajewski and the OSU players” helped them make their final decision to become future Cowgirls.

The athletes, both of whom are straight A students in All AP Honors Classes, aren’t just any players either.

Elizabeth (Highlights & Profile) is a 5-foot-11 power pitcher with tremendous command.  In addition to her 62 mph Fastball, she has an impressive dropball and a change that registers at 36-40 mph. The Texas hurler has also added a riseball to her arsenal to keep batters honest.

She is also a power hitter for the Travelers and was among the team lead in home runs and extra base hits this past year, but it’s her pitching that has put her in the organization’s record books.  Schaefer is the all-time leading strikeout pitcher for the Travelers program that has been around since 1995 with 1840 K’s and, equally impressive, has recorded less than a hundred total walks.

“I choose to attend OSU because of its family atmosphere and high academics,” she states and says she plans to study veterinary medicine or pre-law.  Elizabeth says, “I have also thought about coaching after I’m done playing, but my ultimate goal is to play for Team USA in the Olympics.”

Kaydee (Highlights & Profile) is a lefty slapper with power and has led the Texas Travelers each year in batting average and on base percentage as well as stolen bases.  The speedseter is also an outstanding shortstop known for being able to cover ground from behind third and second with a cannon for an arm.

Her going to the Cowgirls wasn’t as much of a surprise as her grandfather is an alum of OSU and she says, “I have always considered Oklahoma State as one of my dream schools. When I arrived on campus, I knew it was the place I wanted to attend.”

It’s very early in the recruiting process, but with Elizabeth’s strong arm and Kaydee’s quickness on the basepaths and in the field, 2022 Oklahoma State Softball class already is shaping up to be something special.