RANKINGS
EVENTS
I COMMITTED
COLLEGE
ABOUT
When it comes to having athletics in the DNA, few can top the sports heritage of 2021 MIF/OF AnneMarie “AJ” Murphy of the AZ Hotshots 18 Gold – Georges team.
Her grandfather, Dwayne Murphy, was a 15-year MLB star outfielder, winning six consecutive Golden Glove awards with the Oakland Athletics and also played for the Tigers, Phillies and in Japan with the Yakult Swallows. He even won a World Series ring as a coach with the Diamondbacks.
AJ’s father, DJ Murphy, played college baseball at Chabot College (Calif.) and Briar Cliff College (Iowa) and her Uncle Scott Murphy was the Northern California Baseball player of the year in 1993 and went on to become a two-time Jr. College All-American at Chabot College as well.
AJ’s mother, Lynne was a two-year soccer player at Briar Cliff College and two of her brother played baseball at the collegiate level as well, Mike at St. Mary’s (Calif.) and Paul at Butte College (Calif.).
And an aside, I wondered how “AnneMarie Murphy” became known as “AJ.”
I asked her mom who explained: “Coach Corey Mathis—her first club coach when she was age 10—asked me if I had an easier name as ‘AnneMarie is too long.’ Since my middle name is Joy, on the spot I came up with AJ. Also, I did like that it is close to DJ (her father’s name)!”
Not surprisingly, AJ has received some of the family’s talent when it comes to putting bat to ball.
Last month, during club play for her AZ Hotshots, the incoming senior had a monster weekend (June 13-14) when she went 11-for-13 (.846 average) with three doubles, two triples, a home run and nine steals.
That weekend her AZ Hotshots team hit an amazing 23 home runs—yes, they went undefeated at 6-0!—and AJ’s dinger was the last of four straight home runs by Brian Georges’ team.
Yesterday and today, AJ and her team are in the Northern AZ League Southwest Summer Shootout which is being live streamed on the Sports Virtual Recruiting Platform where the games have multiple camera angles and a pair of announcers who also do interviews with coaches and players during and after the games.
The Hotshots, aka “The Bomb Squad 2020,” play three consecutive games today and the contests are viewable live and afterwards are archived on YouTube.
Here are the three chances to watch AJ and her team in action:
Tuesday, July 14 Games Watchable on YouTube
- 7:30am: AZ Hotshots 18u Gold – Georges vs. Batbusters Bennett – 18U
Click HERE - 9:15am: AZ Hotshots 18u Gold – Georges vs Desert Thunder 18u Fowler
Click HERE - 11:00am: AZ Hotshots 18u Gold – Georges vs. Oro Valley SunCats – Judge – 18U
Click HERE
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NAME: ANNEMARIE “AJ” MURPHY
Hometown/ST: Goodyear, Arizona
Grad Year: 2021
Position(s): SS/2B, OF
Club Team: AZ Hotshots Gold Georges 18U
High School (City/ST): Millennium High School Goodyear, AZ
GPA: 3.67/4.10
Recruiting Status: uncommitted.
Preferred College Major: Sports medicine
Top Honors/Accomplishments:
- Softball: 2017-2018: Millennium HS softball season (9th grade); 1st team AZ 6A Southwest All Region; Varsity Offense Player of the Year; 2018-2019 Millennium HS(10th grade); 2nd team AZ 5A Desert West All Region; 2nd team All AZ West Valley Preps; helped team to Sweet 16 in state tournament; 2019-2020 Millennium HS (11th grade); Varsity Softball( Spring 2020): COVID -19 cancellation ended season with .500 BA; Sports360AZ All-Academic Softball Team (5A-6A)
- Soccer: AZ 5A HS State Championship Runner-ups; Honorable mention 5A All-Region Goalkeeper (hadn’t played in two years); Varsity Women’s Soccer(Winter 2019-2020): 2nd team All Region as a defender
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What’s been your most memorable softball experience?
A couple of weekends ago when our team hit four homeruns in a row and I hit the fourth one.
What would you say are your strengths on the field? (and/or what did the club and /or college coaches say they liked about your game?)
I feel my greatest strength on the field is my versatility. Besides the battery, I am confident in my skills anywhere I am put. Who knows: give me some gear and a week and I’ll catch for you! Some feedback I have received from college coaches: “solid defender,” “works quality at-bats,” “aggressive baserunner,” “I like what I saw on your video,” “great mixture of size and strength.”
Have you set personal goals for yourself for this year? Or in general?
Generally, to keep competing at a high level. This year my goal is to sign to play softball in college.
Do you have any softball superstitions?
I haven’t bought new batting gloves in months and I never strap them up when I hit to stay loose.
What would you say is your philosophy in life?
Family first.
If you had to describe yourself in one word, what would it be on-field? Off the field?
On the field: consistent; off the field: jokester.
What worries you most about what kids your age are facing in the future?
Getting back to school and getting life back to normal.
What’s been your favorite vacation or place you’ve visited?
Sunset beach in California with my family.
What’s the biggest obstacle you’ve had to overcome in life?
As of now, dealing with all the uncertainties that the past four months have given me. I’m staying positive throughout all the changes. I tell myself it will all work out in the end.
If you were stranded on a desert island, what’s the one thing you’d want to have with you.
A machete.
If you could have dinner with anyone… living or dead… who would it be?
Beyoncé.
Finally, what’s one thing or accomplish about you that is unusual or unique about you that few know?
I like to edit videos and make highlight reels. I recently took a job doing such. This is going to help my softball game in many ways. Watching every pitch, every play, every movement is taking my game IQ to a new level.
EXTRA INSIGHTS:
What’s your favorite softball item? DeMarini bat.
Favorite item in your closet: My windbreakers.
Favorite school subject: History.
Best way to unwind is… Watching TikTok.
If you have 30 minutes to shop and $100 to spend, where do you go? A sneaker store
What’s playing in your headphones right now? Dancing Queen.
Celebrity you’d like most to hang out with: Beyoncé
Favorite college uniform (and why): In general, all white uniforms. I think they look clean.
Calories aside, what food could you eat and never get sick of? Pizza
Best talent off the field? Making people laugh
Who inspires you (athletically & non-athletically) My teammate and one of best friends of many years, Maycee Hilt. You won’t be surprised that we met playing softball at the tender age of 10 on the same team. As they say, the rest is history.
*** Scroll down to read AJ’s first-person account of her softball journey!