Hartselle High School senior Emily Lipinski, second from right, signs a letter of intend to play softball for Alabama A&M University in Huntsville. Looking on, from left, are Chris Forth, her travel team coach; grandmother Linda Putman, mother Melissa Clairday and father Robert Lipinski. | Clif Knight

Emily Lipinski, a senior pitcher for Hartselle High School’s softball team, signed a letter of intent to play softball for Alabama A&M University on Tuesday.

“I’m excited to have this opportunity to play at the college level,” Lipinski said. “I was impressed when I visited the A&M campus and I really liked their new softball coach. I think this is going to be a good fit for me.”

Lipinski said she has played softball, starting in the Hartselle Dixie Youth Program, for most of her life but never realty got interested in playing at the college level until last summer when she played for the Hartselle Rock Solid travel team.

“I had a pretty good year on the mound and everything seemed to fall into place as far as my pitching career was concerned,” she added.

Lipinski is entering her senior year with Hartselle Lady Tigers. She will be following in the footsteps of Hartselle’s Meaghan Gray, who is a senior pitcher on the 2013-2014 A&M team.

“She did a great job for us last summer and fall,” said Rock Solid heads coach Chris Forth. “She did everything we asked her to do and helped us have a winning season. The team went 21-12 overall, won first place in two tournaments and finished fourth in a World Series Tournament in Gulf Shores.”

A reception followed in the school cafeteria with teammates and other senior athletes in attendance.