Bailey Miller set to earn her stripes at Chattanooga State
Gordon Lee senior softball player Bailey Miller made it official on Thursday, signing on to continue her softball career at nearby Chattanooga State.
The first baseman had four doubles, a triple, 32 runs scored and 21 runs driven in from the No. 2 spot in the order this past season. She drew 10 walks and stole five bases. More importantly, she did her job as a No. 2 hitter with 20 sacrifices, usually moving leadoff hitter Faith Alexander into scoring position.
“I had my mind set the past couple of years that I wasn’t going to play college ball, because I didn’t think I was good enough,” Miller said. “But my parents talked me into it and I have to give credit to my coaches, Dana Mull and Victor Duggar, who is my summer league coach (Frost Falcons 99). I just think it will be a good fit and it’s something that I love and why not go to the next level and play since I have the chance?”
“We’re really excited not only to get a quality athlete, but just some local talent,” Lady Tigers head coach Blythe Golden explained. “I think Bailey has the ability to play on the infield for and she can also play in the outfield. She can do a lot of things because she’s very athletic. She’s a tremendous athlete and a good kid and I think she’ll fit in well with us.
“It’s important for us to reach out to schools in the local community and grab kids who want to stay local and close to home. We want to be
able to take them from the quality programs they’re at right now and transform them into our program and get them to whatever level they aspire to be at. We like to be able to provide that platform for them.”
In addition, to being close to home, Miller said she is excited to get to play softball with two familiar faces.
“I think it will be a lot easier to go to school with a girl that I played high school ball with for the last four years (Gordon Lee teammate Mary Kate Pritchett),” she added. “And Madison Crabtree, who goes to Meigs County, also signed with Chattanooga State (on Thursday) and she and I are best friends so that’s going to be good.”
Gordon Lee head coach Dana Mull said she believed Miller made a good choice in selecting Chattanooga State.
“I think that junior college will be good for her,,” she said. “It will give her a chance to play and then it will give her a chance to rethink things after a couple of years to see if she wants to continue to play somewhere else. She’ll be able to move away, but still stay close to home.
“The thing about her that is special is that she can play just about anywhere, other than pitcher and catcher. You can put her anywhere and she’s familiar with that position. I think she’ll make a good utility player for them.
Miller was a part of four region championship teams, three state championship teams and one state runner-up team during her four years in Chickamauga.
“I’m going to miss Coach Mull because I love her as a coach and I’m going to miss this team,” Miller added. “It’s been my favorite team in my four years at Gordon Lee. We were really close this year. But I’m super excited about going to the next level and playing.”
Miller wants to study Criminal Justice and Forensics.