Baylee Elms has been playing softball since she was nine years old.
The 18-year-old Laurence Manning Academy senior signed Monday to play the sport starting in 2018 at Florence-Darlington Technical College.
"Catcher is my main position, but I do play others, like shortstop and some outfield," she said. "The opportunity came to play softball at Florence-Darlington, and it seemed like a good opportunity. It's not too far from home."
Elms also spent some time with the school's team.
"I went and practiced with them and enjoyed it," she said.
Laurence Manning Academy varsity softball Coach Maria Rowland has had Elms on her team since the young woman was in eighth-grade.
"We moved her up when she was young," Rowland said. "She has a positive attitude; she's gonna lift her pitchers up. She's a great leader behind the plate."
Rowland said that Elms is an important factor for the team's "visual of the entire field."
"She's instructing and talking based on what she sees," said Rowland. "She calls out the situation to the other players because she has a full view of the field. Her voice really has a presence on that field, and they do what she tells them."
For 2016, Elms' batting average was .411, and her on-base percentage was .480. She had 18 RBI, two home runs, one triple, seven doubles and 26 singles.
Thus far in 2017, the 18 year old has a .278 batting average and a .400 on-base percentage. She has three singles, two home runs and eight RBI after seven games in the season. She has three stolen bases in 2017, the same number she had for all of 2016.
"I'm excited to play for Florence-Darlington next year," said Elms, who noted she wants to study education.
"I love working with kids," she said. "That's what I'm leaning toward, teaching and working with kids."
