MA shortstop Petrey signs with Mississippi State
Mississippi State softball coach Vann Steudeman officially announced Marengo Academy shortstop standout Macey Petrey as a member of her 2017 signing class earlier this week.
Petrey committed to the Bulldogs earlier in the semester and figures to add defensive versatility to the SEC West program.
“Macey is a physical athlete who projects at multiple positions,” Stuedeman said. “She will be the ultimate utility player as she can play anywhere on the field with the exception of pitcher and catcher. She has a huge arm, runs well, is driven and doesn’t shy away from hard work.”
While Petrey admits that defense may well be her favorite part of the game, she figures to take plenty of offensive ability to Starkville with her as well.
“The first thing you will notice is that she has a ‘cannon’ for an arm, very strong. She is very athletic and has good footwork. We were able to let her play some 3B, because her athletic ability and strong arm took away the short slap game from the west coast slappers. She also has good pop at the plate for her size,” Ryan Greenwood, Petrey’s coach with the Birmingham Thunderbolts travel ball team, said. “Because of her athletic ability and strong arm, they will have flexibility of working her on the infield or outfield depending on their needs. That will also give her more chances to get on the field. She is also sneaky fast and runs the bases well. While she is talented now, she is still improving and her best days are ahead.”
Petrey hit a robust .576 with 31 runs scored, 29 RBIs and 16 stolen bases during her junior campaign with the Lady Longhorns.
A three-time West Alabama Watchman All-County player, Petrey also received interest from LSU and Florida State before committing to Mississippi State.
“When I went to campus and I toured and watched them play, I just knew it was the place I wanted to be,” Petrey said. “(My parents) were probably more thrilled at first than I was because I was just shocked because I have waited so long. I would get a lead here and it didn’t happen immediately and that would knock me down.”
For all the knockdowns Petrey experienced, those around her believe she is fully prepared for the opportunity that awaits her in the SEC thanks in part to her experiences in travel ball.
“When she started with us, she was thrown into the fire immediately against some of the best competition in the country,” Greenwood said. “She adjusted to become an immediate contributor and asset for the team. It has been so much fun watching her develop as a player and person to be ready to play at the next level.”
“Traveling all over the country is definitely an emotional and physical toll but it is preparing you for the real softball world definitely,” Petrey added. “The competition is unbelievable. It isn’t like anything around and it prepares you for the next level.”
With her college plans solidified, Petrey is free to focus on her final season with the Lady Longhorns, a 2017 campaign that she enters with one primary goal.
“There is always room for improvement everywhere. I guess it’s just the small things like digging deeper into fundamentals. I want to get out there, play fast and play hard, do the best I can,” Petrey said. “I want a state championship and I think we can do it if we can get everybody on the same page and their minds to it.”
She is the daughter of Chris and Ashley Petrey of Demopolis.