SIGNING DAY: Needham signs softball scholarship with South Alabama

Emily Needham celebrates her signing with South Alabama with her teammates on Wednesday. (Tim Gayle)

By TIM GAYLE

Emily Needham signed her letter of intent on Wednesday to play softball at South Alabama, fulfilling a goal the St. James senior had since stepping on campus for a summer camp.

“I went to a couple of camps at South Alabama and from the very first one it just felt like home,” she said. “It was a family atmosphere and everyone was so nice and welcoming, even though I was just there at a camp. I was just visiting and they made me feel like I was special and deserved to be there.”

South Alabama coach Becky Clark said the signing of Needham and Thompson pitcher Kaydn Bush on Wednesday provides the Jaguars with a pair of impact pitchers that can elevate the program.

“In this class, we really focused on pitching and power,” Clark said. “I feel like we are signing the two best pitchers coming out of our state. Bush pitched Thompson to a 7A state title and Needham was the 3A Player of the Year. Both are winners and will come in and make an immediate impact on our pitching staff. All six signees are incredibly focused and driven with tremendous work ethics and compete mentalities.”

Needham is the three-time all-Capital City Conference Player of the Year and compiled a 35-7 record with a 0.99 earned run average and 430 strikeouts last year, all school records, in taking the Trojans to the 3A state finals. She also was named the 3A Player of the Year by the Alabama Sports Writers Association.

And while she still has a season left with the Trojans and an opportunity to win a state championship, she admitted the goals will change when she enrolls at South Alabama.

“I think the biggest adjustment I’m going to have to make is knowing that when I get to college, softball is everything,” said Needham, who plans to major in biomedical sciences. “There are higher expectations. Collegiate ball is just another whole level.”

Despite the adjustment, Clark has high expectations for her signee.

“She is going to give you 100 percent every time she steps on the mound and I love the fact that you always know what you are going to get from her,” she said. “She has great tools and one of her best assets is her ability to effectively change speeds in any count. In my opinion, her changeup is one of the best in the country and allows her to get a lot of swing and misses. She will continue to grow in our system but will also come in and make an immediate impact. Her mature, humble approach will contribute to our overall staff leadership and quickly make her a fan favorite.”

Needham will participate in a school signing ceremony in December during the early signing period for football, but the senior was humbled by the impromptu ceremony on Wednesday morning.

“It was really exciting,” she saiad. “I had all my friends and family there. It was really nice to have a lot of support and know I was signing to play softball at a great school and just ready to take the next step in my life. It was just a whirlwind of emotions.”