By DREW GRANTHUM/Sports Writer

PELHAM — It’s not uncommon for several key members of a sports team to sign a scholarship during the course of a season. In the case of Pelham High School’s softball team five of the squad’s seniors signed scholarships, including the entire middle infield.

Becky Fox, Caitlyn Sapp, Emily Spain, Samntha Kusiak and Kristian Foster all signed scholarships to play collegiate softball next season, in a ceremony held Nov. 25.

PHS head coach Amy Aullivan said she wasn’t surprised the girls were able to attract attention from major programs.

“They’re great kids,” she said. “I could’ve told you when they were freshmen if they wanted to play college ball they could.”

Sullivan said the group was part of the core of the team, and were leaders on and off the diamond.

“I really can’t say enough about them,” she said. “All are National Honor Society Members, they do things in the community and for their church/ We’ve never had a meeting because of bickering or lack of effort. They make my job easy.”

That said, Sullivan was quick to mention the group’s production on the field helped set them apart.

“Defensively, I think they’re the best infield in the state,” she said. They’ve been together four years. All were offered (scholarships) very early. They still worked hard. (They’re) very good all around.”

Four of the five went to Division-I schools: Fox to UAB, Sapp to Jacksonville State, Spain to Auburn, Kusiak to Central Alabama Community College and Foster to South Alabama.

Sullivan went on to say a loss in the 2013 AHSAA Class 6A softball championship game was even more motivation for the girls to end on a high note.

“If we had these kids every year, (I’d) never retire,” she said. “They’re different in a good way. They don’t come along very often. They’re a special group.”