Marty Gordon
NRVsports@ourvalley.org
A fifth member of the 2019 Auburn High School class has announced plans to play softball in college. Emily Scaggs says she will attend Emory and Henry College in the fall where she will play first base.
Scaggs batted .511 last spring with 32 RBIs, three home runs and 12 stolen bases as the Eagles lost in the Class 1 championship game to Rappahannock. She was named to the all-state first team as a junior.
Emory and Henry feels like home to Scaggs.
“I chose Emory because the moment I stepped on campus and felt like I was at home. Everyone was so friendly and welcoming. I instantly fell in love with the school,” she said.
She hopes to major in elementary education.
“My long term goals on the field is to continue to better myself as a player and help Emory to win the NCAA D3 World Series. Off the field, I hope to get a good education, and after graduating college move back to Riner to teach at Auburn Elementary School, which attended when I was younger,” she said.
Scaggs joins Leah Harrison who announced last week she would continue her playing career at Virginia State University.
When she looks back on her time at Auburn, Scaggs said it has been great going to the state championship with her best friends. She also credits her parents getting her to this point in her life and softball career.
“I’m at this point in softball because of my parents. They have been my biggest support system always pushing me to do my best and always believing in me. And going above and beyond to always make sure that I was able to play the sport I loved. I was also blessed to have had the most supportive friends and coaches who saw potential in me and pushed me when I was struggling the most,” she concluded.
This year’s Emory and Henry squad includes former Auburn players Amanda Whitlow and Rachel Smoot. The school participates in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference and loses seven seniors off a team that was a conference tournament runner up last season finishing 31-14.
