Former Eupora High School standout Delta Claire Newman has signed to play softball for Millsaps College after two years at Northwest Mississippi Community College.
“I love the atmosphere there. It's a really good school,” she said. “I'm really excited and really thankful that I will get to continue playing the sport I love.”
Newman played fast-pitch and slow-pitch softball for six years at Eupora, graduating in 2018. Her senior year, the fast-pitch team went 17-3-1, including 10-0 in Region 2-2A.
“We beat East Webster twice and they are a perennial powerhouse. We couldn't done it without her on the mound,” said Amir Hunt, who coached Newman her senior year at Eupora.
She had a big year pitching and hitting, with a .435 batting average and 57 RBIs, and a 12-0 record with a 1.65 ERA. She was named 2-2A Player of the Year. During her high school career she had three no-hitters and a perfect game.
She continued her strong play as a freshman at Northwest last year, earning all-state honors with a .349 batting average while playing first base for the Rangers.
“In the state of Mississippi, especially at small 2A schools, any time you get a softball player who plays for four years at college, she's going to be one of the better players you ever coached,” Hunt said.
A highlight of her high school career was a slow-pitch state championship in 2015, her sophomore year.
Newman said Millsaps recruited her as a pitcher, but she expects to also play first base for the Majors. “She (Millsaps coach Caroline DeLoach) said I'm going to be a lot of help on the mound. And be able to help offensively as well.”
She will major in nursing.
