Braleigh Angel, a Baylor softball player about to sign with Carson-Newman College.Baylor outfielder Braleigh Angel has accepted a softball scholarship offer and plans to sign Sunday with Carson-Newman College.
Angel and hitting coach Lisa Rogers, one of her summer coaches with the Chattanooga Cyclones and a former Carson-Newman star and assistant coach, visited the Jefferson City, Tenn., campus about a month ago.
“It was a lot like Baylor,” Angel said. “I like that it’s a Christian school. Everybody is really friendly.”
Angel has started since her eighth-grade year with the Lady Red Raiders, although she’s been hampered at times by injuries, including a torn quadriceps and a broken finger. Healthy this year, she’s batting .472 with 22 runs scored and is 7-for-7 on stolen bases.
Baylor coach Kelli Smith said Angel had doubts at one time whether she wanted to play beyond high school. Ultimately Angel approached her coach for advice and started exploring options.
“She’s always been one of our top players in batting average,” Smith said. “She’s just been plagued with injuries. I’m so excited for her. I always felt she could play at the next level.”