Richmond Hill High School senior Alex Hefner signed a letter of intent Friday to play NCAA Division III softball at Agnes Scott College, a private liberal arts women’s college in Decatur, on an athletic scholarship.

"I’m ecstatic. This is an amazing opportunity," Hefner said. "Every since I could walk, I’ve been playing ball. It’s always been a dream of mine to play at the college level."

Hefner’s impressive final high school season may have sealed the deal for her. In addition to being named First Team All-Region, she led the team in hitting with a batting average of .329 and 10 RBIs. She also excelled on defense. Her fielding averaged was .987 and she only committed one error, which RHHS Coach Sean Strickland classifies as "phenomenal."

"Alex was the senior leader for us and she really set the tone at the plate," Strickland said. "The other girls really fed off her. When it came to the end of the season and we needed the big hits, she came through for us. Defensively, she was our rock in the in-field. She calmed everybody and rallied everybody in the middle when it was needed."

Hefner’s parents, Cliff and Valerie Hefner, said her primary focus is getting a quality education – and becoming a nurse like her mom – but it’s wonderful to see her getting the opportunity to continue to play the game she loves.

"We have pictures of her at six-years-old on the baseball team before the softball program was even organized," Valerie Hefner said. "She may have been the only girl on the boys’ T-ball team … there’s not as much winning pressure at Agnes Scott as Division I schools and the academic standards are high, and that’s just what she was looking for."

Hefner said she hopes to continue playing second base but her position has yet to be decided by the coaching staff.

Agnes Scott Coach Shawn Bowers said he has been scouting in order to build his team, which is on the rise. The Scotties just finished the current season with a sixth place conference finish and the most softball victories for Agnes Scott in three years.