Chapel Hill High senior second baseman Kelsey Crook signed a softball scholarship with the University of West Georgia last Wednesday. Pictured, front row, from left are Crook's father Wayne, mother Lisa and brother Cody. Back row, Crook's grandmother Kate Crook, aunt Karen Eubanks, Chapel Hill softball coach Mick Harper, Chapel Hill athletics director Jennifer Baggett, Crook's grandmother Lynda Schlitz and Chapel Hill principal Sean Kelly.
(Ron Daniel/The Sentinel)
Crook will continue her career at the University of West Georgia as a utility player, primarily as a second baseman and outfielder. She made it official last Wednesday, signing a national letter of intent to play for the Wolves as family, friends and coaches gathered around a Wolves’ banner and a special UWG cake in the Chapel Hill High library to celebrate her success.
Tennessee Tech and Auburn-Montgomery were among the other schools interested, but Crook said she liked everything about West Georgia, including Wolves softball coach Mandy Harris, who kept in touch with Crook regularly to see how she was doing. And with Crook playing 30 minutes from home, her family and friends will get plenty of opportunities to see her play in college.
“It wasn’t just one or two things,” Crook said. “I liked it all.”
Crook hit .330 in her senior season with 17 RBIs, 12 doubles and two home runs. She was second on the team with a .532 slugging percentage behind only Kayley Barker.
One of her biggest hits came in the sixth inning against Rockmart in the Region 4-AAA Tournament on Oct. 3. Crook came to bat with one on and two out and the game tied at two in a winner’s bracket contest and hit a towering home run over the center field fence to give Chapel Hill its margin of victory and guarantee the Lady Panthers a state playoff berth.
“That was probably one of the key at-bats to kind of push us over the hump and get us where we believed in ourselves that we could win those tight ballgames, especially against quality competition,” Chapel Hill coach Mick Harper said. “That was a big at-bat for her to step up as a senior and get that hit.”
Crook also plays for the Georgia Impact travel team.
In addition to her talent in softball, Crook also excels as a student. She is a member of the Beta Club at Chapel Hill and carries a 3.41 GPA in her academic classes.
Post a Comment