Video: Seasoned Shortstop Is On A Mission To Win The State Title In Her Final Season

NEW HOPE, Miss. (WCBI) — Kelsie Gerhart has been a force on the softball field throughout her career at New Hope High School.

The senior has a 3.5 grade point average and plans to major in Nursing at Northeast Mississippi Community College while playing softball.

Kelsie Gerhart has been tearing it up on the field for the New Hope Lady Trojans softball team. Her batting average is above 500, and has her team off to a hot five-and-three start to the season.

“It’s been pretty great. It’s not like anything. I’ve played tournament ball and everything, and New Hope is just one of those places you can’t beat,” said student athlete Kelsie Gerhart.

Gerhart has worked hard all off season to get to this point. New Hope head softball coach Bobby Taylor has been pushing his senior shortstop to become better on the field.

“She’s very conscious of what she does. Have any problems on the team she handles them usually for me. She lets me know when things are going on. Overall just a great all around person,” said head coach Bobby Taylor.

Gerhart signed with Northeast Community College back in January to continue playing softball and will plan to major in nursing. She knew from the moment on of where she wanted to go after her visit in Booneville.

“There coaches showed a lot of interest, which really drew me in, and there facilities are really nice and there players really welcomed me when I went on my visit,” Gerhart said.

Gerhart has really shared a close bond with her teammates on and off the field, especially with her senior teammate Meredith Woolbright.

“She’s always been somebody out here that you could always go to for what ever problems were and could talk out with. She’s always there to listen, and she’s always got something nice and positive to say about you,” said teammate Meredith Woolbright.

Gerhart won her first state slow pitch title in softball during her seventh grade year in 2011, but the team has never won a fast pitch title in school history. She would like to change that.

“I think our seniors now that were in seventh grade were the last ones to win. I think that would be really great to go out with our first fast pitch state championship,” Gerhart said.

The Lady Trojans will return to action on Thursday when they travel to Starkville to face the Lady Yellow Jackets.