Lacey Dixon will continue throwing strikes for Johnson County CC

Last Wednesday was a proud day for Gallatin R-5 senior Lacey Dixon and her family. Dixon signed a letter of intent to attend Johnson County Community College in Overland Park, Kan., where she will continue her softball career this fall.

Dixon, who holds virtually every pitching record at Gallatin High School, joins a Cavalier team that rightfully owns the reputation as one of the strongest junior college programs in the nation. JCCC finished second in 2007 in the National Junior College Athletic Association Division II Championships, and has placed in the top ten in championship play 10 times in team history.

"We recruited Lacey after seeing her pitch with her summer team," said JCCC interim head coach Kelly Latendresse. "She was one of the top recruits in her class," she added. "She has good speed and accuracy, and has great presence on the mound."

Dixon owns top all-time GHS marks for innings pitched (478), wins (60 against15 losses), strikeouts (602) and earned run average (0.82). She was twice named all-state and was a four-time pick as all-district and all-Grand River Conference. In her senior season, she pitched 143 innings, struck out 171 batters and posted an earned run average of 0.54. At the plate, she hit .484 with a .548 slugging percentage, .566 on-base percentage, and scored 17 runs.

"We expect her to come in and be a real contributor to our pitching staff," Coach Latendresse added.

According to the team’s website, JCCC lost three pitchers from last season’s team that finished 46-14 overall and won the East Jayhawk Conference title for the 12^th time in school history. The Cavaliers enter the 2008 spring season as the 6^th ranked team in the NJCAA pre-season poll.

Present among family and well-wishers at Wednesday’s signing ceremony were Lacey’s parents, Denise and Danny Dixon, GHS softball coach Casey Cole and Lacey’s summer league coach for the past three seasons, Mark Waterbury.