By Erik Harris
TRUSSVILLE — A pair of Hewitt-Trussville seniors recently signed softball scholarships to Wallace State Community College in Hanceville.
Catcher Taylor Beshears and outfielder Amber Hammonds inked their names to the Lady Lions.
Beshears was originally committed to the University of Arkansas, but eventually saw Wallace State as a better fit academically and athletically.
“I think she’ll really grow under the coaches up there and in that program, and they were very open-armed,” said Hewitt-Trussville head softball coach Karen Johns. “Obviously she’s very skilled so they really wanted her.”
Beshears and Hammonds have a wealth of experience on the diamond. They’ve been involved with the Lady Huskies’ varsity team since the seventh grade. Additionally, they’ve found valuable experience in club competition.
“(Wallace State) is gaining highly skilled softball players,” Johns said. “These are athletes that have played at a really high level club-wise, they have been given contractual instruction through their club organizations. They’re at the top of the bracket as far as what they can do on the softball field so I think that’s really, really a big positive for Wallace.”
The two seniors heavily contributed to Hewitt-Trussville’s Class 6A, Area 12 championship in 2014, and hope to continue their winning ways through the program’s first year under Johns’ leadership.
“It’s going to be a group that really works hard and that really cares about each other and that will represent their school and their sport at a really high level, and I think that’s going to make a lot of people proud,” Johns said of her team.