Sanders Signs With East Georgia

Wheeler County High School softball pitcher and first baseman Kayleigh Sanders signed her letter of intent to play softball for East Georgia State College in Swainsboro. She will be joined next year at East Georgia by another one of her teammates, Ariel Reynolds.

Sanders was in the pitching rotation for the Lady Bulldogs and really made her impact this year both in the circle and at the plate. She was second on the team in most batting stats behind Reynolds and was also named to the All-Region team.

Sanders said, “I have put in a lot of time and effort, and I have really set a goal and stuck to it. I give a lot of credit to God. When I don’t feel like working toward that goal, or feel a bit lost in it all, I pray about it, and he keeps me on the path. It is about who I can reach through my sport, and I give it all to Him.

I really have to thank my dad. I have been to several schools over the years. He stuck with me, put in so much time, really motivated me, and he has always been the guy that has been there. One of my former coaches, Hayne Brant, made a big impact on me, and just always encouraged me to be better. Coach Reynolds here at Wheeler has been that tough love guy that made me want to work harder to get to this point.”

Her father Jason Sanders stated, “We are really proud of her. This is something that she has worked hard for, and we hope that is everything that she has dreamed of when she gets there. East Georgia is close to home, but she is also going to be able to do all her premed work there and still get to play softball. There were some other schools that offered her, but she wouldn’t have that ability there. I’ve always told her to do what you do with passion and to give it your all.”

Coach Reynolds added, “I wish we would have had her for more years than we did. She fit her role on our team as one of the pitchers in the rotation and was just a great hitter for us as well. She really has made an impact on this team and is one that could go to the other girls and just get them on the right track. She was a big piece of what we have done here at Wheeler, and we look forward to seeing what she can do at the next level.”