The 5-foot-11 junior right-handed pitcher had led the Lancers to a 21-1 record at the time of her selection. Nelson owned a 17-1 mark in the circle with a 0.11 earned run average. She amassed 310 strikeouts in 125 innings pitched through 22 games. She allowed 17 hits and issued 10 walks in 18 starts, recording seven no-hitters, including five perfect games. At the plate, Nelson owned a .406 batting average with nine doubles, three triples, 22 RBI and a .623 slugging percentage. She is a two-time Boston Herald All-Scholastic selection and was a 2016 MaxPreps/NFCA Small School All-American honoree.
A member of her school's math, science, history and English honor societies, Nelson has maintained an A average in the classroom. She has made a verbal commitment to play softball on scholarship at the College of the Holy Cross beginning in the fall of 2018.
The vice president of her class and a member of the Norton High student council, Nelson has volunteered locally as a math tutor and a mentor to elementary school students through her school's PALS program. "Kelly Nelson throws a ton of strikes and she throws each of her pitches for strikes," said Scott Soderberg, head coach of Hopkinton High. "My players tell me her rise ball is almost impossible to pick up. She is the key to the Lancers' success. They would be a tourney team without her, but she makes them the favorite to win the state championship this year and next."
