Photo | Paul Adkins
Logan High School’s Morgan Aguirre, flanked by her parents Angie and Kirk Aguirre and grandpa Tom Aguirre, signed a national letter of intent on Friday afternoon to play collegiate softball at the University of Charleston. In the back row, Logan assistant softball coach Jason Davis, head coach Randy Robinette and LHS Principal Robert Lucas.
Back in late May after the conclusion of the Class AAA state tournament in Vienna, Logan High School’s Morgan Aguirre wasn’t sure she would play collegiate softball.
She had already earned an academic scholarship from the University of Charleston but her softball playing days were in limbo.
But with a little bit of coaxing from the UC staff, Aguirre is now a member of the Golden Eagles’ team.
Aguirre signed a national letter of intent on Friday afternoon to play softball at Division II UC.
Better late than never.
“I’m excited,” said Aguirre, who was Logan’s ace pitcher on the mound this past season and also carried a big stick at the plate. “I actually didn’t decide that I was going to play softball until about two weeks ago. It’s a good school. I got the Welch Colleague Scholarship and I didn’t think I would have a whole lot of time to play softball but the coach talked me into it.”
It’s a good thing, too.
Simply put, Aguirre was one of the best girls’ softball players in the state of West Virginia.
Aguirre was this year’s Class AAA State Player of the Year as voted on by the West Virginia Sports Writers Association. She had a stellar season as she hit .449 with five home runs, 15 doubles and 31 RBIs while amassing a 15-5 record with 158 strikeouts and a 1.53 ERA within the pitching circle.
Led by Aguirre and the senior class, the Logan Lady Cats won the Region 3 championship for the fourth consecutive season and earned a fourth straight trip to the state tourney — something that had never been done before in the history of the LHS softball program.
Logan ended up 28-7 and finished third at Vienna with a 1-2 mark in the state tourney.
Aguirre did not end up winning a state softball championship but she was able to taste victory as a member of Logan’s Class AAA state championship cheerleading squad in 2009. Aguirre has stayed active recently in the sport by volunteering her time with the Cheeriffic All-Star cheerleaders at the Flip and Twist Gym in Logan.
“It was thrilling and it was a really good feeling,” Aguirre said of the state cheer title. “I liked to cheer, too. My senior year in cheerleading was also memorable because we got along so well.”
Aguirre will most likely split time between pitching and playing on the infield at Charleston. Her bat would definitely be tough to leave out of the lineup.
“I’d like to stick with pitching and I’d like to focus more on it,” she said. “I don’t know about infield because I get really nervous.”
For once, Aguirre will get to team with a pair of former rivals at UC in Chapmanville Regional High School twin sisters Allison and Jenna Evans, who had signed with the Golden Eagles during the spring. Like Aguirre, both Evans sisters pitched and played infield.
“We actually worked a camp together a couple of weekends ago and we were the only freshmen there,” Aguirre said of the Evans twins. “We got along really well and we always have. We’ve known each other since we were in day care. It should be good.”
And for once, Aguirre won’t have to face the Evans twins ever again in a pitcher-to-batter scenario — at least in a game.
“Thank goodness,” Aguirre said with a laugh.
Aguirre said she plans on studying pre-med and biology at UC.
Along with softball, that’s going to keep her busy.
As she juggled cheerleading, softball and her studies at Logan, that’s just the way she likes it.
“I’m hoping later for a second major,” she said.
Aguirre won’t be alone when she heads to Charleston next month.
Several former Logan County athletes are on UC sports team rosters, including Logan football’s Joe Street, who had signed with the Golden Eagles back in the spring.
In addition to the Evans girls, UC also has Ross Easterling, Corey Lakatos and Timmy Rein — all former Logan players — on the baseball team. Chapmanville Regional’s Josh Easterling, Dylan Saunders and Jordan Kirk also play for the UC baseball squad.
On the UC basketball squad is Logan’s Paul Williamson, who transferred recently from WVU.
Logan softball coach Randy Robinette said Aguirre will do just fine at Charleston.
“She’s a fine addition to UC,” Robinette said. “It speaks very well for her and her hard work. This is a tremendous accomplishment. This is one of the reasons that you coach. You try to help the kids get a better education. That’s one of the purposes.”
Aguirre was a well-rounded prep softball player to say the least.
That was evident during the 2012 season when she hit both for power and for average and was a major force on the mound with her strong arm and array of pitches.
“She can play anywhere and she can hit and pitch, so she’s going to do well at UC,” Robinette said. “She’s going to be a great asset to that program I’m sure.”
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