ROCKINGHAM – Their verbal commitments had been spoken for a while, but a trio of Richmond Senior High School softball players made their collegiate playing plans official Wednesday afternoon in the school’s media center. And it was a sentimental celebration at that.
Seniors Savannah Lampley, Taylor Parrish and Greyson Way were three of hundreds of high school athletes across the country who signed over their commitment to play out their dreams at the next level on the NCAA’s initial signing day.
Lampley (University of North Carolina at Wilmington) and Way (University of North Carolina at Greensboro) signed their National Letter of Intent to play Division I softball, while Parrish (Pfeiffer University, Division III) signed her Commitment Letter.
Surrounded by family members, teammates and several classmates, the three Lady Raiders were also accompanied by 12-year Richmond head coach Wendy Wallace and assistant coach Shellie Wimpey. The signing day marked a special moment in the three players’ careers, as all three have grown up together playing organized softball.
Dating back to their 8u and 10u playing days, Lampley, Parrish and Way all played for the Richmond Thunder, which was coached by Danny Lampley and Mike Way, the fathers of Savannah and Greyson. The signing day was also a first for the Richmond softball program, as it’s the first time under Wallace’s tenure that the entire senior class has signed to play at the next level.
“We’ve never had our entire senior class sign to play college softball, so this is a big accomplishment for our program,” Wallace said. “All three girls have a tremendous work ethic and they knew coming in as freshman they all wanted to play at the next level.
“It’s nice to see their hard work pay off,” Wallace added. “Each of them is a leader on the team, and they pitch in in different ways. Savannah and Greyson are vocal leaders, and Taylor was more of a silent leader who had some big hits for us last year.”
A season ago, all three players were an integral part of a Richmond team that went 24-5 and made its second consecutive trip to the 4A western regional finals.
Savannah Lampley, UNC-Wilmington
Lampley was one of Richmond’s most prolific players during the 2017 season, as she completed the postseason accolades sweep, earning a roster spot on the All-Sandhills Athletic Conference, All-District 4 and All-4A State teams. The icing on the cake was her recognition as the 4A State Player of the Year.
She verbally committed to play for Seahawks head coach Kristy Norton on June 26, 2017, following her sophomore season. Lampley will join the UNCW team as a middle infielder and utility player, and look to build onto a growing Norton program that won a school-record 35 games in 2017. This summer, Lampley played travel ball with the Carolina Cobras, a team comprised of several UNCW commits.
A left-handed hitting shortstop, Lampley batted .535 as a junior (which led Richmond), had a 21-game hitting streak, and led 4A play in runs scored (56), stolen bases (36) and doubles (17). One of her biggest moments last spring was launching a 10th-inning walkoff blast over the scoreboard in right field to defeat eventual 4A state champion Jack Britt High School.
“There was a lot of suspense leading up to today because I’ve been waiting a year and a half to sign,” Lampley shared of putting ink to paper. “It felt so good to make it official — I had a lot of friends and family there, and I’m glad so many people came out and supported me.
“I’m excited for the upcoming (Richmond) season,” she added. “We want to go undefeated in conference again and make another deep run in the playoffs like we always do. This year I want to win a state championship.”
Lampley will make her official visit to UNCW on Dec. 1 and 2 to meet with fellow recruits. She would like to thank her parents, Danny and Angela Lampley, as well as Wallace and Wimpey for their support throughout her career. She also wanted to thank Brad Denson, a RSHS coach and UNCW baseball alumni (99-04), for putting her in contact with the Seahawks.
Taylor Parrish, Pfeiffer University
Parrish will head to Misenheimer, N.C., and spend her next four years playing for Falcons’ head coach Monte Sherrill. As Wallace noted, Parish had a breakout year for the Lady Raiders in 2018, coming in clutch in the No. 6 hole in the line up.
She was a part of a Richmond batting order that saw nine players hit above the .350 mark, as she finished her junior campaign with a .378 batting average, 34 hits, 36 RBIs and four home runs. Parrish’s bat got hot in the latter half of the season, as her first career grand slam in the top of the third inning in the western regional finals against South Caldwell High School etched Richmond’s 55th homer of the season, tying the single-season record for the most longballs by a team.
In preparation for joining Pfeiffer as a pitcher and hitter, which went 37-5 in 2018 and won the Eastern College Athletic Conference Division III softball championship, Parrish has been playing for the Randolph Rage travel organization. She’s been verbally committed to the Falcons since Nov. 29, 2017, and expressed her gratification at Wednesday’s signing.
“It was very exciting,” she said. “This has been a moment I’ve been looking forward to for almost a year now. I’ve been working really hard getting better with my pitching and hitting, and seeing it all come together is really nice.”
Parrish will attend a softball camp on Dec. 1, as she’s already gone on her official visit. She knows that Sherrill “expects a lot” from his players, and noted she’s excited to play for a program that wins.
“I want to thank my parents, Steve and Michelle Parrish, and my brother Brandon Long, for their support,” Parrish said. “I’d also like to thank my Richmond and travel ball coaches for working with me and helping me stand out.”
Greyson Way, UNC-Greensboro
Way is synonymous with the pitching circle, as she recorded every out in Richmond’s 29 games last season. Her role as the team’s ace was aided by her power-hitting bat, and she, like Lampley, earned All-SAC, All-Region and All-State honors during her junior campaign. Her performance from the circle saw Way named the SAC Player of the Year, as well as the All-State Pitcher of the Year.
She threw 177.1 innings and led 4A pitching in strikeouts (252) and wins (24). Way’s earned run average (1.93) and opponent’s batting average (.180) were also near classification lows, and she added four no-hitters to her resume, the most clutch being a seven-inning no-no against Hickory Ridge High School in the playoffs.
Offensively, she batted .443 (third-best on the team) and plated a team-high 41 RBIs (led the team for the second season in a row) on 43 hits. Way slapped 12 doubles and eight longballs, bringing her career total to 30 dingers, just one behind Richmond’s all-time leader (Owen Bowers).
“I verbally committed on July 17, 2017,” Way recalled. “It was really exciting signing today, I don’t know how to describe it. I’ve been waiting for this day my whole life, and it was so awesome to put it in ink and make it official.”
Way will report to the Spartans and head coach Janelle Breneman as a pitcher and first baseman, and UNCG is fresh off both a Southern Conference regular season and conference tournament title. In her six seasons in Greensboro, Breneman has led the Spartans to at least 30 victories four times, and it’s a culture Way is “excited” to be a part of over the next four years.
Echoing Lampley’s hopes of winning a state title this spring, Way will make her official college visit following the new year. She concluded by thanking her parents, Mike and Mica Way, along with her coaches for “never giving up on me and giving me so much support over the years.”
