Amy Lewis is a Rhea County senior who has committed to play softball for UTC.Rhea County junior Amy Lewis recently accepted a scholarship offer to continue her softball career at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.
Lewis said she liked what she saw when she toured the campus and facilities in late August. Most of all, she likes that UTC is an NCAA Division I program.
"I wanted to go to a D-I school," Lewis said. "That was my main goal. With it being close to home, I like it."
Rhea County coach Leah Price was a slap-hitter when she played and said she worked with Lewis on slapping even before she became a coach at the school. Lewis hit .541 and scored 34 runs on the way to All-District 6-AAA honors last season, and she drove in 21 runs from the No. 2 spot in the batting order, batting .694 with runners in scoring position.
"She's a really hard worker," Price said. "She's always the first to do anything you ask them to do. If you have a voluntary something, she's there. She deserves every bit she gets."
Lewis said she figures to play outfield in college, although she's proven throughout her career to be the epitome of versatility. For instance, she played center field as a freshman at Rhea County and played catcher last year.
"She went back there because she knew it was best for the team," Price said. "She didn't really like it, but if it's for a chance to win, she's going to do it. She's as competitive as she can be."
Provided the catcher coming from middle school recovers from shoulder surgery in time, Price said she plans to play Lewis at shortstop next spring.
For the last five summers Lewis has played for the Chattanooga Force '97, who won the 2014 Amateur Softball Association 16-under state championship. Last summer she batted .364 -- better than .600 in the Scenic City Showcase 16s -- and scored 30 runs. In school and summer ball combined, she was 30-for-30 on stolen bases.
"She can play all the outfield positions, middle infield, and she caught for Rhea County," said Force coach Dale Jones, who echoed Price about Lewis's reliability. "She's the best bunter on our team and probably the best second baseman I've ever had. I think she's made one error in two years. She goes and gets everything. She's smooth."
Lewis has the goal of becoming a personal trainer and plans to major in exercise science.
Contact Kelley Smiddie at ksmiddie@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6653. Follow him at twitter.com/KelleySmiddie.