Softball Adds Three Incoming Transfers
7/13/2023 3:49:00 PM | Softball
The Roos will add Kendyl Anderson, Grace Batdorf and McKinzi Sowles
KANSAS CITY - Kansas City Softball continues to add depth to its roster for the upcoming season, as Head Coach Kiki Stokes O'Connor officially signed three new student-athletes. Kendyl Anderson, Grace Batdorf and McKinzi Sowles will all join the Roos next season, each transferring from the junior college ranks.
Kendyl Anderson | 5'11 | 1B | Olathe, Kan. | Olathe West HS | Butler CC
2023 (Butler CC): Appeared in 55 games, batting .397 with 16 home runs and 65 RBI … Went for 58 total hits, including 13 doubles … Notched an OBP of .500 and a SLG of .815 … Went 3-of-3 with two doubles, three runs scored and three RBI in a win at Seward County on Feb. 25 … Hit two home runs in win over Crowder College on Mar. 5 … Went 3-of-3 with four RBI in a win at Northwest Kansas Technical College on Mar. 22 … Smashed three home runs, going for seven RBI in a win over Garden City on Mar. 25 … Went 3-of-4 and scored four runs in a win at Pratt on Apr. 1 … Went for two home runs in a win at Dodge City on Apr. 22 … Went 3-of-4 with a solo home run in a win at Garden City on Apr. 29
2022 (Butler CC): Appeared in 29 games, posting a slash of .414/.514/.931 … Pitched in seven games, posting an ERA of 4.38 … Made first pitching appearance in win at Friends on Feb. 15, tossing an inning of scoreless ball … Earned first-career hit in win at Pratt on Mar. 2, going 2-for-2 with a home run and two RBI … Pitched two innings and struck out three batters in win over Barton on Mar. 16 … Went 2-of-2 with a double and a home run in win over Bethany JV on Apr. 3 … Hit a homer and drove in three runs in win over Northwest Kansas Technical College on May 6
High School/Club: Played at Olathe West HS, where she holds program records for ERA (career and season), strikeouts thrown (career and season) and career wins … Was named a Second Team All-State pitcher … Earned First Team All-Conference honors … Also participated in track and powerlifting … Played club ball for teams Intensity and Bombers
Personal: Born May 16, 2003 in Orlando, Fla. … Daughter of Justice and Ashley Anderson … Has six siblings, Kai, Bella, Brenn, Ian, Blu and Porscha … Sister Kai plays softball at St. Mary's … Participated in National Honors Society … Earned KSHSAA Citizenship award … Favorite movie is Barbie … Favorite color is pink … Favorite musical artist is Frank Ocean … Would like to live in Northern California … Intends to major in Health Science
Why Kansas City?: "I love how passionate Coach Stokes O'Connor is about softball, as well has helping us grow as individuals outside of softball. I wanted that in a coaching staff."
Grace Batdorf | 5'11 | OF/UTL | Oklahoma City, Okla. | Putnam City HS | Coffeyville CC | South Dakota
2023 (Coffeyville CC): Appeared in 39 games, batting .500 with seven home runs and 24 RBI … Slashed .500/.546/.847 … Went 3-of-4 with a home run and two runs scored at Eastern Oklahoma State on Feb. 21 … Went 4-of-4 with three runs scored and two RBI in win at North Arkansas College on Feb. 27 … Batted 3-of-4 at Murray State College on Mar. 11 … Went 2-of-4 with two home runs and three RBI in win over Sterling JV on Mar. 25 … Swung for eight doubles in a five-game stretch from Apr. 18-29 … Went 2-for-3 against Independence CC on May 7
2022 (South Dakota): Redshirted for the Coyotes
High School/Club: Batted .480 on her career with 25 doubles, 23 triples and 14 home runs … Also stole 90 bases, drove in 116 runs and scored 128 runs … Earned All-State honors as a senior … Four-time All-Conference Player … Two-time conference Player of the Year … Four-time All-District … Four-time All-Big City … Also swam … Played club for Oklahoma Exclusive and Coach Donnie Hughes
Personal: Born Jan. 2, 2003 in Cushing, Okla. … Daughter of Tiffany and Donald Batdorf … Has one sibling, Jourden Fleming … Favorite movies are the Indiana Jones series … Favorite color is forest green … Would like to live in NW Arkansas … Intends to major in Communication
Why Kansas City?: "I chose to play at Kansas City for the opportunity to work with coaches that have played at the highest level of softball, and to help build the program into Summit League Champions."
McKinzi Sowles | 5'3 | OF | Olathe, Kan. | Olathe South HS | Cowley CC
2023 (Cowley): Appeared in 50 games, batting .359 with four home runs and 45 RBI … Slashed .359/.429/.552 … Stole a team-high 11 bases … Earned first-collegiate hit and drove in a run in win over Central Christian on Feb. 7 … Went 3-of-4 with three RBI against Rose State on Feb. 18 … Batted 2-of-4 with a home run and three RBI at Friends on Feb. 28 … Went 3-of-4 with four RBI in win over Highland CC on Apr. 6 … Batted 3-of-3 with a triple in win at Cloud County CC on Apr. 13 … Homered three times in a four-game stretch from May 5-13 … Went 2-of-3 with a double at Independence CC on May 14
High School/Club: 2022 First Team All-Sunflower League … 2022 First Team All-State … 2022 MO-KAN All-Star … 2021 Honorable Mention All-Sunflower League … Played club ball for KC Rebles National Ingle and Coach Mark Ingle …Â
Personal: Born Dec. 22, 2003 … Daughter of Shana and Mark Sowles … Has two siblings, Lake and Tucker … Participated in Photojournalism club … Favorite TV show is Friends … Favorite food is her great grandfather's rivel soup … Has flown a plane before, and plans to do so again … Would like to live in Greece … Can speak some Spanish … Intends to major in Business Administration
Why Kansas City?: "I chose to play at Kansas City because I want to be a part of building a winning program. The coaches have a great plan and I'm excited to grow as an athlete and as a person under their knowledge and passion."