The Year 2025 will be one that Class of 2026 pitcher Zamari Ball will remember forever.

The athlete from Arkansas earned All-State honors in the spring, won a PGF 16U championship over the summer and in the fall committed to her future college in August before being named in October as one of the Top 25 players in her class.

The latter honor was via Line Drive Softball’s HOT 100 series which honored Zamari on October 23, 2025 when she was announced as being ranked No. 21 in the 2026 Line Drive HOT 100.

Here’s how her bio read:

T-21—Zamari Ball, P, D1VISION
Zamari has been with Tammy Vermeulen’s D1VISION program since 14U and the coach laughs: “She has now officially been a part of every level of the organization: 14U National, 16U Premier, 16U National and now 18U National.” The pitcher also drew praise from her coach and org lead when Coach “V” added: “Zamari was hands down the leading contributor to our PGF Show Me the Money win in Newberry, Fla. this summer where we went 9-0.” Throwing consistently at 65 mph-plus down in the zone, Zamari has been successful at keeping many of the best hitting club teams off-balance. The Univ. of Houston commit, per her head coach, “is so effective on the bottom half of the plate and, mixing in her rise, she is lethal in the circle! Not to mention her demeanor and competitiveness that drives our girls to push even harder. We are lucky to have Zamari on our side!”               

We caught up with Zamari this week to learn more about what led her to decision to being a future Houston Cougar pitcher, poised to compete in the Big 12 next year….

*****

NAME: ZAMARI BALL
Position(s): Right-handed pitcher
High School (City/ST): Sylvan Hills (Sherwood, Ark.) High
Club Team: D1Vision 18U National
Grad Year: 2026
Committed To: Houston
Date Committed: August 17, 2025

What would you say are your top achievements or accomplishments in your softball career so far?
I’ve been a PGF Show Me the Money champion, an Arkansas 5A All State and All Conference selection, a Minority Softball Prospects All-American and a Line Drive Softball HOT 100 honoree (ranked No.  21).

On the field, I pitched 59 innings in the circle for Sylvan High with 62 strikeouts, a 1.86 ERA and 1.23 WHIP during the 2025 spring season. I also batted .303 average with a .959 OPS, four home runs and 17 RBIs as a junior.

What’s been a top softball experience in your career?
My top softball experience was winning the PGF Show Me the Money Championship in the Summer of 2025 as I pitched all seven innings. It was one of the most energetic games I have ever been a part of.

How did your future university first find you to start recruiting you?
The University of Houston coaches first watched me at the PGF National Championships in California in July of 2025.

When did they offer you a scholarship?
August 1, 2025, during my official visit.

When and how did you commit? What were the circumstances?
I committed August 17, two weeks after my official visit with the University of Houston. I committed over the phone after talking with my family over my decision on where to continue my softball career. Once I made my decision, I called Coach (Chrissy) Schooney and committed!

What was it about the school/program that made you decide it was the place for you?
The University of Houston just felt right for me. from the city to the coaches’ philosophy. I had a checklist of what I wanted for a school, and each box seemed to be checked. Everything just felt like home.

What did they say they liked about your game enough to offer you?
The coaching staff really enjoyed my dropball, specifically, and my mindset on the field.

Who helped you in your softball decision?
In making my decision I mainly communicated with my family and my coaches before making the final call.

Do you know yet what you will study in college? What you’d like to do for a career after school/softball is over?
I plan to major in Exercise Science and be on track to become a physical therapist.

What top tournaments/events will you and your team be playing this year?
Show Me the Money, Atlanta Legacy and PGF Nationals.

— Brentt Eads/Line Drive Softball