Gray signs with Northwest-Shoals

By By Clif Knight, Hartselle Enquirer
Softball pitcher Meaghan Gray will move on to the college level of competition after she completes her senior season with Hartselle High School’s Lady Tigers.
The three-year varsity starter signed a national letter-of-intent to play for Northwest-Shoals Community College in Muscle Shoals on January 15. She repeated the signing at school on Friday in the presence of her coaches, teammates, family members and other senior athletes, with a reception following.
Gray’s softball career spans 12 years and includes two National title runs as a member of Hartselle Dixie Youth League softball all-star teams and two trips to the Class 5A State Championship Tournament.
Last season, she compiled a 19-7 record with a 2.0 ERA. Her record as a sophomore was 14-8 with a 2.77 ERA. Both years she was named to All-Area teams.
Gray is one of eight players, including two pitchers, signed by Northwest-Shoals for its 2011 freshmen class.
She plans to enroll in college next August after playing summer ball with the North Alabama Rockets, a travel team composed of Northwest-Shoals players. Her career goals include earning a bachelor’s degree in secondary education, teaching history and coaching softball.
It was while she was pitching for another travel team, North Alabama Explosion, last summer that Gray grabbed the attention of Northwest-Shoals head coach Brian Smith.