Hailey Harris and softball go hand in hand. She has been playing since she was young. Hard work and dedication throughout her childhood made her into a rare breed of player — a four-year varsity athlete for Washington.

The Lady Pack enjoyed immense success during her four years with the team. She was arguably the most important piece to a playoff run last year that ended in the 2-A eastern-regional championship. It was further than any Washington softball team before has gone.

This year, Harris’ season — and Lady Pack career — came to an end when Eastern Randolph knocked off Washington in the third round of the playoffs. Harris will continue playing, though. She signed her letter of intent to play for North Carolina Wesleyan next year.

“It’s been a dream since I was little to go to college and play,” Harris said. “Starting as a freshman on varsity, it was definitely scary. I had a bunch of girls there that I had played with in previous years that helped me through it.”

The decision to become a Battling Bishop was a relatively easy one for Harris. Three travel-ball teammates are going to N.C. Wesleyan. There will be other familiar faces, too. The Battling Bishop roster has alumni from 2-A Eastern Plains Conference foes North Johnston, Beddingfield and Southwest Edgecombe.

Harris first met the coaches at a travel tournament in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. She visited the campus a few months back, almost immediately realizing it would be a good fit.

“I fell in love with the school and the campus. The coaches are really nice,” she said. “I didn’t want to start off somewhere big and Wesleyan is kind of small.”

Harris said she’ll slot in as a catcher and pitcher for N.C. Wesleyan. The Battling Bishops are graduating a pitcher in their four-lady senior class.

Her talent was evident the first time she donned a Lady Pack uniform as a freshman. Harris played in all 20 games in 2014. She finished the campaign with a .319 batting average, and her prowess at the plate only got better from there.

“They had been in it since they were 9 years old,” coach Doug Whitehead said. Harris is one of nine seniors from the Lady Pack squad. Meghan Moore recently signed to continue her career with Pitt Community College. “I knew it would get to the point where it would be tough for them to quit.

Last year, Harris pitched all but one game during Washington’s historic run. Then a junior, she finished the year with a 2.10 earned-run average and an 18-8 record with seven shutouts in 26 starts.

The arrival of freshman Abbigail Tucker took a lot of the pitching load off of Harris this season. She only made nine starts in 15 appearances. With more time to focus on other aspects of her game, Harris’ batting average skyrocketed to .634. She led the Lady Pack in every offensive category.

“I talked to the coach (at N.C. Wesleyan) the other day and said, ‘If she didn’t ever pitch an inning, if you don’t have her in the batting lineup, you’re crazy,’” Whitehead said. “She was hitting cantaloupes this year.”

In the classroom, Harris said she plans to study physical therapy. She loves athletics and had to have shoulder surgery herself, so she wants to help players in similar situations.