By By BRIAN HAINES
Sports Writer
YEATESVILLE — For over three seasons Amanda Daw has done everything asked of her while playing softball at Northside High School.
The scrappy shortstop has played multiple positions, been a team leader, worked counts, stolen bases and has collected almost as many grass stains as hits during her tenure with the Panthers.
When you put that kind of effort on the diamond people are going to notice.
The senior’s diehard style of play and no-I-in-team attitude caught the eye of Pitt Community College coach Junior Bailey, whom Daw signed on to play with Thursday at Northside High School.
“Every kid we bring is pretty much a utility player except of our pitchers and catchers, and with Daw I saw somebody who was very versatile,” Bailey said. “She has good speed. When she went through our workouts she had a good bat, and defensively she was very good…. Her major strength is defense, a lot of the kids we bring in are like that because the way most of these kids hit in high school they will not be able to do that in college.”
Daw, who made the Washington Daily News all-area first team, along with all-state and all-district teams, batted .353 with 23 RBIs and 20 runs scored, and said that she was thrilled to sign with PCC.
“It just fits right,” Daw said. “I’ve heard a lot about coach Bailey’s softball program. A lot of my friends are going there, that’s not the only reason why I’m going, but I just think it fits me very well.”
Some of the more notable Bulldogs are former Washington star pitcher Charity Watson along with former Jamesville slugger Tiffany Frye. Joining Daw next season at Pitt will be Williamston shortstop Heather Jackson, who is also a friend of Daw’s.
Having some familiar faces around campus will help ease Daw’s transition to college.
“It’s really nice, it will make it more comfortable,” Daw said. “I probably won’t be as nervous.”
Northside coach Louise Beirne said she was proud to see Daw be able to extend her softball career.
“I’m very excited for Amanda. When I began coaching her three years ago I knew she had the potential to do this, it was just a question of where she was going to go,” Beirne said. “She is a full out player, she dives, she sacrifices herself and as the leadoff batter she is very flexable. If we needed a slap she would slap, if we needed a bunt she would bunt, and 99 percent of the time she would lay that bunt down and move the runner over for us. … She is very coachable and has a good understanding of the game.”
Daw has extensive knowledge of the game because she has been playing it ever since she was strong enough to swing a bat.
“I have been playing since I was six-years old and never stopped,” Daw said.
The Panthers shortstop has accumulated plenty of fond memories playing at Northside, but her best came a few years ago when her team made a run at the state title.
“My sophomore year we made it pretty far in the playoffs. We were one game away from state but we lost to Manteo,” Daw said. “That was great. It was just the environment and the style of coaching was great and it helped me a lot. I enjoyed it.”