GHC softball player signs with Georgia State
GHC player signs with Georgia State
Cartersville – December 2, 2014
Liz Prance, from Canton, GA, was the first softball player to ever sign with Georgia Highlands College and she has committed to play for Georgia State University upon graduating from GHC.
“Georgia State is where I have always wanted to go so it just worked out,” Prance said. “We played them the first game of our season last year and I hit well. This year when we faced them I hit a home run on my first at bat.
“I feel very excited and also I have some friends that play at Georgia State. That will help with the transition from a small school to a huge D1 school and living in Atlanta. That was one of the main things that scared me about committing but one of my best friends plays there. She is a small town girl like me and she said she hasn’t had any problems.”
Within regular season conference games last year, Prance hit .365. Her starting performance in all five games of the region tournament landed her a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage. Offensively, she recorded 2 hits, 2 runs, a double, 1 walk, a sac and an RBI.
As a result of her successful season, Prance won Top Defensive Player of the Year for her third base skills but she has not always been so confident in the position.
“I began playing softball, as a pitcher, when I was four years old. I pitched until I injured my back my sophomore year of high school. It was definitely the biggest adversity I have ever overcome. When I hurt my back I was so down-and-out. I was going to quit softball all together. I couldn’t pitch anymore and that was all I had ever known. Someone suggested I try third base. I am so glad I did because if I had quit, I never would’ve gotten the opportunity to play for GHC and this opportunity has led me to another opportunity with Georgia State.”
Melissa Wood, GHC head softball coach, said after watching one at bat, she signed Prance and gave her a scholarship on the spot.
Wood said, “As soon as I saw her, I knew we could make this work.
“Liz plays third base but we had another girl named Emily who was starting. I think Liz was hitting some, playing some defense but she never complained about not starting. The middle of the Georgia State game, which was the very first game of our program’s history, we had to switch the infield around. We ended putting Liz on third base in that game and that’s where she stayed ever since.”
Wood is convinced Prance’s dedication and work ethic are important factors in her success.
“Liz came into the program. She bought in; her family bought in. She worked hard and now she is going to be playing for a division 1 school. I think she has a really good chance to go to Georgia State and start. That may not have necessarily happened if she had been a walk on.”
GHC softball players get the chance to play division 1 teams throughout their schedule. Prance said this is one of the perks of playing Chargers’ softball.
“[Playing division 1 teams] is nerve racking. It is honorable. It is exciting and scary. Sometimes I worried about coming back with all my teeth because they have some girls that can hit. It really is a testament to our coaches that we get to play those big schools. It gives us a great opportunity on so many levels.”