With one phone call, Ashley Todd made her 18th birthday unforgettable.

Todd, a senior at Jackson High School, turned 18 on Sept. 4. She started the day with a bang by calling Penn State University head softball coach Robin Petrini. The shortstop told the coach that she would verbally accept a full-ride scholarship offer to play for the Lions after high school.

Todd’s decision came after she played in several key showcase tournaments for the Lake Stevens-based Lake Breeze select team this summer and took several unofficial recruiting visits.

“It’s been just an unbelievable summer,” said Todd, who last spring received All-Wesco South first-team honors.

Todd said she recently toured three campuses and considered scholarship offers from Ohio State, Houston, Central Michigan and Hofstra, in addition to Penn State.

Petrini of Penn State saw Todd play in July at a tourney in Colorado and things progressed from there. Todd said she knew she wanted to play for Penn State a few days ago but she saved her verbal commitment for her birthday.

“It was a good way to start my day, for sure,” said Todd, who phoned the coach at about 10:30 a.m.

So what was coach Petrini’s reaction when Todd declared her choice? “She just screamed (with joy) at the top of her lungs. She handed the phone to the assistant coach and went to tell the other coaches,” Todd said.

Verbal commitments are non-binding. Class of 2008 high school softball players can sign a binding NCAA National Letter of Intent no sooner than Nov. 14.

Mike Cane writes for The Herald in Everett.