Softball player signs with Middle Georgia

A sense of fearlessness recently earned Greenbrier High School senior Kassie Bailey a softball scholarship to Middle Georgia College.

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"Sometimes when you see a player step up to the plate, you can tell by the look on their face what they're going to do," said MGC coach Ken Phillips. "She wasn't scared of anything they would throw at her."

Bailey signed a letter of intent to play on with Phillips' team during a Thursday ceremony at Greenbrier.

Phillips initially signed Bailey, who hit .386 last season, as a first baseman, but was overjoyed to learn she also could pitch.

"It was definitely a two-for-one moment," he said. "She's an extremely talented young lady."

Greenbrier softball coach Garrett Black said Bailey's ability extends beyond her skill on the softball diamond. She's also a great role model.

"We had some hard decisions to make last year concerning what would be best for our team," he said. "She stepped up and made the necessary sacrifice. That's what makes her special."

Bailey agreed to step down as a pitcher to serve as the Lady Wolfpack's first baseman in her final season.

"So many other players at all levels of sports are all about (themselves)," Black said. "Kassie put the team first, and that kind of commitment is hard to find these days."

Bailey was sold on the Decatur school when she saw it.

"When we visited the campus, I liked it a lot," she said. "Plus, I liked the coach, too. He was very nice."

Having served on a team that perennially earns state playoff opportunities, including a state championship in 2004, Bailey said she's prepared to start over on a new squad.

"I've been playing a lot on teams in Atlanta with different players," she said. "I did it to get noticed by college coaches, but it also helped me with learning to play with new people."