Doyla Morales

Doyla Morales – Evanston, IL

Doyla Morales started playing softball at the age of 10 in Belize, South America. Her interest came from a classmate who invited her to watch games at a local stadium. At her young age she became the ball girl for the practices of the Dunrite-Millport Fastpitch Team. Coach Collet "Specky" Gill noticed she had a great arm and took her under his wing to train her to become a pitcher. That's when the love affair with the game began.

In 1980 her family immigrated to the US, where she became a high school player for Evanston Township High School. During high school she was a pitcher and utility player and was named the MVP in both 1981 and 1982. She went on to play for the College of DuPage from 1983-1984, where she was a high-ranking pitcher nationally and a 2nd team All-American Honorable Mention.

During that time she caught the eye of the Grambling coach. She went to Grambling in 1984, where she was the first player in their history to pitch a no-hitter and the only player to win MVP along with Best Defensive and Best Offensive player in the same year. The following season she was again named MVP. When Grambling disbanded the softball team in 1987, she became the first woman to be invited to try out for the men's baseball team.

In 1989-1990 she was invited to join the Belizean National Team to play third base and pitch. The team competed in the Central American games in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, and brought back a Silver Medal.

After college the love and passion for the game did not stop. She became a volunteer coach at Evanston High School, which she transitioned into the Head Coach role. She played for approximately 20 years with Made to Order for coaches Steve Gill and Hugo Donado. With MTO she won the USSSA IL C State, IL B State (twice), the 1989 Class C Nationals, was the USSSA Class B 2002 Nationals Runner-Up, 1999 Champions, Great Lakes Championship 2004 Champions and 2005 3rd place, and reached the Class A Sweet Sixteen. Her championship-team résumé also includes the 1990 All State Team, the 1993 USSSA "B" #1 ranked team in the nation, and the 2006 USSSA World Series 3rd place and All-Tournament teams.

The proudest moments of her USSSA career were being named All-Tournament at the World Masters Tournament in Las Vegas while playing for CA Sudden Impact, and receiving the Golden Glove Award in Rockford playing in the A Division. In 2019 she stepped back from playing as much — but she keeps her glove and gear in her trunk, just in case.

"I hope during my playing and coaching that I was a positive ambassador for softball. I played for the love of the game, and people saw that in my play on and off the field." She gives special thanks to her Made to Order teammates, and to Dave Reich, Steve Gill and Hugo Donado for their time and dedication. To her family — her husband Elton Harris, Elton Harris Jr., Denzel, Danielle, Christopher and Anthony Harris — thank you for being her biggest cheerleaders and supporters.