King’s Fork High School softball standout Baxley Lockhart will play college softball at Randolph College.

Lockhart went through her options deciding between Radford University and Randolph and felt Randolph was best, because it gave her a chance to play at the next level.

“It was a difficult decision,” Lockhart said. “Randolph offered me a softball opportunity, and I took it.”

Playing softball in college was something Lockhart always wanted to do. Her mother played in college, and Lockhart wants to follow in her mother’s footsteps. She mentioned that it was something she always wanted to do since she was 7 years old.

Lockhart felt good about how her senior season went on the field for the Lady Bulldogs. With a new coach, they were able to advance to the Class 4 Region A semifinals. Over the summer last year, she also played travel ball, and it helped her get ready for the season. Though she mentioned there were a couple of ups and downs during her senior campaign, in general, she was happy with the way it went.

“I felt like we did good for a fairly young team,” she said. “I felt like making it to the regionals was exciting, because I knew we had that potential. With travel ball, traveling is always a new experience. It had some ups and downs. Overall, my senior year was mixed with some exciting times that I’ll always remember with my teammates.”

She started her senior year strong from the plate for the Lady Bulldogs but went into a slump during the middle of the season. However, she was able to snap out of the slump. It showed her how far she could go with her sills, which excited her the most.

“My coach, Tommy Hinnant, really helped me in school ball helping me get back on track,” she said. “He stayed after practice to help me get more reps to enhance my skills, and I’m extremely grateful for him being my coach.”

Lockhart feels confident going to the college level, and her coaches are excited to have her in the program. She believes she can bring more passion and energy to the Randolph softball program. In 2019, Randolph went 15-22-1.

At Randolph, she plans to major in biology.