SAN DIEGO -- The San Diego State softball team has signed Dee Dee Hernandez to a National Letter of Intent, head coach Kathy Van Wyk announced today. Hernandez is the third member of the 2021 Aztec softball signing class, joining AnneMarie Murphy and Loganne Stepp.
A left-handed pitcher and first baseman, Hernandez comes to The Mesa from Crescenta Valley High School in La Crescenta, Calif., where she has led the Falcons to a remarkable 53-7 record (.883) over her career thus far. A two-time Pacific League Pitcher of the Year (2018-19), Crescenta Valley was 21-2 in 2018, 23-4 in 2019 and was off to a 9-1 start last spring until the season was cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As a sophomore in 2019, Hernandez posted a 0.98 ERA in the circle with 164 strikeouts in 165 innings and hit .602 with a 1.616 OPS percentage at the plate en route to racking up numerous accolades, including being named the CIF Southern Section Division 3 Player of the Year, the Los Angeles Times Girls' Athlete of the Year and the Daily News Pitcher of the Year, as well as earning a spot on the Cal-Hi Sports Underclassmen First Team. In 2018 as a freshman, Hernandez registered a 0.42 ERA in 131 1/3 innings with 162 strikeouts and hit .556 at the plate, garnering first-team all-CIF Southern Section Division 3 honors and being picked as the all-area freshman of the year.
Hernandez also brings a wealth of international experience to SDSU after playing with the Mexican National Team since 2018 and leading the pitching staff for the Junior Mexican National Team at the Pan Am games. She is currently competing for a spot on the Olympic roster for The Mexican National Team. Others in the mix for Hernandez in the recruiting process included Arizona State, Florida State, Oregon, California, Stanford, Utah, Wisconsin, Cal State Fullerton, Long Beach State, Cal Baptist, Utah Valley and Delaware State. Hernandez plays her club ball for the Panthers 18U Gold Team.
San Diego State finished 17-11 last season and was 37th (out of 298 schools) in the initial RPI, which is a mathematical calculation used to help determine each team's success, using a calculated strength of schedule and won-loss percentage. The Aztecs, who have won a Mountain West-best seven regular-season championships in the 20-year history of the league, were supposed to play host to defending league champion Colorado State the weekend of March 13-15 before the NCAA canceled the rest of spring competition on March 12.
This year SDSU added Power 5 transfers Jenna Holcomb (Tennessee), Alyssa Pinto (Oregon/Ole Miss), Danielle Romanello (Florida) and Nicole Seiss (Mt. SAC/Purdue), and incoming freshmen Makena Brocki and Jeweliana Perez. Additionally, seniors Shelby Thompson (four-time all-MW selection) and Marissa Moreno (2019 second-team all-MW pick) are coming back for a fifth season in 2021.