Sacramento State softball head coach Kathy Strahan announced the signing of Inglemoor High School senior Shelby Johnston to a National Letter of Intent Thursday.

Johnston will enroll as freshmen next fall.

“Defensively, Shelby has a lot of experience as a center fielder on a highly competitive club team,” Strahan said. “She has a strong arm and the ability to throw out runners at home plate. Offensively, I look for her to contribute as a power hitter with RBI capability and someone who will hit for average.”

Johnston, a 5-foot-4 outfielder, will enter her fourth season with the varsity squad at Kenmore’s Inglemoor High School.

She started in the outfield each year of her career, and this season will mark the third straight as the team’s center fielder.

A three-time 4A KingCo all-conference selection, Johnston was selected to the first team last season, and second team in both her freshman and sophomore seasons.

Last year, she batted .582 and was selected team MVP for an Inglemoor squad that reached the Class 4A state tournament.

Johnston helped the Vikings to a conference championship and a third-place finish in the state tournament in 2010.

She has played for Puyallup’s Washington LadyHawks each of the last two years.