Uncommitted 2926 RHP/1B Claire Shupe, today's standout spotlight athlete from the Garden State. Photo courtesy of Claire Shupe.

Get on board with Dugout Chatter’s regular feature, The Final Pitch!

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Here’s our TFP for Friday, Sept. 8, 2023:

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THE FINAL PITCH: CLAIRE SHUPE

Uncommitted 2026 RHP/1B Claire Shupe recently talked to Dugout Chatter about Lady Dukes NJ Gold-McHale/Torres, Columbia High, Lady Dukes-MacHale’s 7th-place finish at 14U Alliance Nationals this past summer, OC Batbusters-Fernandez, different paths, future college, math problems, Rachel Garcia, criminal justice, “Pride and Prejudice,” Salt-N-Pepa, “Psych,” “La La Land” and singing.

THE FINAL PITCH Q&A

Claire Shupe of Lady Dukes NJ Gold-McHale/Torres. Photo courtesy of Claire Shupe.

Name: Claire Shupe

Hometown: Maplewood, NJ

High School: Columbia High

Club Team: Lady Dukes NJ 16U Gold-McHale/Torres

Graduation Year: 2026

Height: 5-foot-8

Position: RHP/1B

Nickname: Everyone just calls me by my last name, but it’s usually more like, “Shuuuuuuupe.”

Twitter: @claireshupe2026

Honors: Essex County Newcomer of the Year (2023); Sectional Tournament MVP; 2nd Team All-Conference; and nominated for Top Freshman in NJ.

High School Stats: Pitching — 87 IP, 1.53 ERA, .920 WHIP, 127 Ks; Batting — .376 AVG, 1.006 OPS, .591 SLG

Travel Ball Summer Stats: Pitching – 121 IP, ERA 1.96, WHIP 1.22, Ks 123; Batting – .349 AVG, .881 OPS, .459 SLG.

Tell us about your travel team/organization and how you became involved with them? This is the only travel team I’ve been on and our group really feels like family. We’re so close and have a lot of fun together. I’ve been with Coach Shawn (McHale) since our first-year 12U team in 2019 when the organization was still the Renegades. We became the Lady Dukes in the spring of 2021.

Claire Shupe of Lady Dukes. Photo courtesy of Claire Shupe.

Tell us about your high school team and how you did? My high school team had an amazing year, going 21-10. We won our sectional championship for the first time since 1977 and we made it to the semifinals in our county tournament for the first time since 1981. I was so happy to contribute to our success and was honored to be named co-MVP at the end of the season.

Can you talk about Lady Dukes Gold-McHale’s run to 7th place at the Alliance Nationals this past summer? We knew going into Alliance Nationals that we’d be playing the best of the best and we were stoked to show what we were capable of. Early on we fell into the loser’s bracket of Tier 1. But each team member gave 110 percent in order to win the next four games and make it to the Elite 8 in Tier 1. We never gave up and encouraged each other every step of the way. I’m so proud of how we played and we are ready to bring it next year!

Which player/team has been your toughest opponent and why? OC Batbusters-Fernandez has been our toughest opponent this season. We played them five times, losing the first three times and then we won the last two times at Alliance. It’s always a fun game when we play them. They’re a great team with a lot of talent.

Claire Shupe of Columbia High. Photo courtesy of Claire Shupe.

What have you faced/overcome in life that has made you the person you are today? My older sister and I are only two years apart, so I always felt like I grew up in her shadow. Then I found softball, fell in love and gained something that could make me unique. My sister is an accomplished guitarist, so we both found different paths that make us happy.

What are you looking for in a future college? I hope to be in or near a city and at a softball program that emphasizes academics, but also has a welcoming atmosphere. I want to join a team that makes me feel like part of a family.

What’s your favorite subject to study in school and why? I really love math. My dad is a computer programmer and one of the things we always do together is solve math problems.

Rachel Garcia of UCLA. Photo by NCAA Softball.

What areas are you interested in future occupations and why? In addition to math, I’m very interested in criminal justice. I hope to have a career where I can help people and grew up watching detective shows.

Who is your sports hero and why? I love to watch Rachel Garcia play, especially when she was a pitcher for UCLA. She was a pitcher who also hit in college, which is my dream. And not only is Rachel fun to watch, she also seems like a great person.

What’s your favorite book to read and why? “Pride and Prejudice” (by Jane Austen) is one of my favorite books to read and I also enjoy the movie. It shows true love in an unlikely situation.

What’s the best hype song and why? When I was younger, my walk-up song was “Shoop” by Salt-N-Pepa, a pun on my last name. Now, it always makes me laugh and eases my nerves.

What’s your favorite TV show to binge and why? My favorite TV show is “Psych,” a comedic detective show. I never get tired of it and there are a lot of episodes.

What’s your favorite movie and why? My favorite movie is “La La Land.” I love the story and the music and it’s one of my favorite movie soundtracks.

Do you have a secret talent/skill? I love to sing and have been in choir every school year so far.

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NEWS & NOTES

***Tony Rico and Sean Brashear, who are two of the top coaches in club softball, decided to form a new national team, Firecrackers Select 18U-Rico/Brashear, for the 2023-24 season.

Rico’s Firecrackers’ team finished 7th and Firecrackers Brashear placed 9th at the 18U Alliance Nationals this past summer.

“Tony and myself are coaching together,” Brashear said. “(We) created a team with some nice talent from both of us.” …

***Fury Platinum National-Groves released its fall schedule. …

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SIGNING/COMMITMENT ALERTS

Loula-Rae McNamara has always known where she wanted to play college softball, so it was no surprise she chose to commit to Boise State on Wednesday.

“I randomly found a school project in a box I did for my 5th-grade class,” McNamara said. “It was a newspaper article, written by me, all about Boise and Western Nationals. Maybe, it was just meant to be?!?!?!

“Boise has always been my #1 school since I can remember. So when Justin Shults called and asked me if I wanted to be a Bronco … it was a big YES!!! The dream of playing at Boise Sate began when I was 10 years old and I played in the USA Western Nationals Tournament in Boise. We came in 3rd place! It was the first time a coach talked to us about playing in college and was the first college I remember visiting. Of course, the blue football field left an imprint. Since then I have always said Boise is my #1. So when Justin called and said I could earn a spot in the batting order as a pitcher … it was an easy decision! I truly feel Boise State is a perfect fit for me and the icing on the cake was being given the opportunity to hit as a pitcher!”

Loula-Rae McNamara, 2025, LHP/1B, Firecrackers Select-Rico/Brashear/Tesoro High, CA, Boise State

Kadey McKay, 2024, SS, Epic National-Smith/Caddo High, OK, Oklahoma

Saylor Brown, 2024, C/UT, Epic National-Smith/Haskell High, OK, Rogers State

Shelby Buffington, 2024, P, Epic National-Smith/Fred J Page High, TN, North Texas

Caydence Gaddis, 2024, P/SS, Epic National-Smith/McKinney High, TX, North Texas

Mackezie Pickens, 2024, SS, Georgia Impact/Sampson/Buford High, GA, Ole Miss

Aeryn Shuman, 2024, 1B/3B/C/OF/UT, Epic National-Smith/Lone Grove High, OK, Central Arkansas

Lillie Jo Smith, 2024, OF/2B/UT, Epic National-Smith/Edmond Memorial High, OK, Central Arkansas

Jaley James, 2025, C/UT, Epic National-Smith/Grandview High, TX, North Texas

Raegan Henderson, 2025, SS/UT, Epic National-Smith/North DeSoto High, LA, North Texas

Annika Dill, 2024, P/UT/IF, Epic National-Smith/Poteau High, OK, Tulsa

Brookley Foster, 2024, 3B/IF/UT, Epic National-Smith/Owasso High, OK, Tulsa

Ari Maxwell, 2024, 2B, Epic National-Smith/Edmond Memorial High, OK, Abilene Christian

Ariah Mitchell, 2024, 1B/OF, Epic National-Smith/Yukon High, OK, Central Oklahoma

Mari Scott, 2024, 2B/OF, Epic National-Smith/Westmoore High, Central Oklahoma

Taylor Platt, 2024, OF/2B, Epic National-Smith/Argyle High, TX, North Texas

Rylie Harris, 2024, 1B/3B/C, Epic National-Smith/Forney High, TX, North Texas

Gwinn Hall, 2024, 1B/OF, Epic National-Smith/Little Rock Christian Academy, AR, McNeese State

Madison Pickens, 2024, C/IF, Georgia Impact-Sampson/Buford High, GA, Louisville

Adriana “AD” Martinez, 2024, 1B, LLG DPS-Corn/Buford High, GA, Boston College

Emma Grace Williams, 2024, RHP, Atlanta Vipers-Tamborra/Buford High, GA, Florida Atlantic

Evelyn Wolfgram, 2024, 1B/3B/OF, Midwest Speed/Hudson High, WI, Wisconsin-Green Bay

Reese Collier, 2024, 3B, Carolina Elite National-Herring/Northwest Rankin High, MS, Coastal Carolina

Alexis Jensen, 2025, LHP/1B, Nebraska Gold/Gretna High, NE, Nebraska

Carlie Muhlbach, 2025, C, Nebraska Gold/Gretna High, NE, Nebraska

Kensi Ody, 2024, 3B/UT, Bombers Premier-Stephens/Walton High, GA, Berry College

Mariah Myers, 2025, 3B/1B, Iowa Premier National/St. Edmond High, IA, Iowa

Alyson Edwards, 2024, RHP/1B, Iowa Premier National-Dickel/Mansfield High, AR, Nebraska-Omaha

Mia Harper, 2024, RHP/1B, Bombers Gold-Mooneyham/Lufkin High, TX, Bossier Parish Community College

Sienna Erskine, 2024, MIF, Wildcats-Weil/Ocean View High, Cal Poly SLO

Giselle Mejia, 2024, RHP/1B, Wildcats-Weil/Los Altos High, CA, UC Santa Barbara

Delaina “Dee” Ma’ae, 2024, C/3B, Wildcats-Weil/Pacifica High, CA, UC Santa Barbara

Joie Economides, 2024, 1B/3B, Wildcats-Weil/South Hills High, CA, Stanford

Eva Hurtado, 2024, RHP/1B, Wildcats-Weil/JSerra High, CA, Cal State Fullerton

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HSOTD

Today’s Hype Song of the Day is …

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BTITW

Today’s Best Thing In The World is …

— Carlos Arias, Dugout Chatter (Follow Carlos on Twitter @Los_Stuff and Threads @los_stuff)

Previous articleNews: New NFCA Summer/Fall High School Top 25 Coaches’ Poll (Sept. 7, 2023)
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Carlos Arias
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