Allegood signs with Florida Southwestern

Dec. 12—MOULTRIE — The Moultrie Observer has carried a number of photos over the years of Colquitt County All-State and four-year starting softball player Emily Allegood.

There have been shots of the pitcher/outfielder ready to uncoil her quick, lethal swing; of her unleashing that swing; accepting congratulations from coach Chance Pitts as she rounds third base after hitting one of her 19 career home runs; of delivering another fastball to the plate; even one on the rare occasion she played first base ("Wherever they need me," she said.)

One of the most unique photos of Colquitt County's most-decorated and intensely competitive player was run recently and shows her on the field, smiling behind the mask she wears while pitching.

She showed the softball smile again on successive days last week.

At the team's annual banquet she was honored as the team's offensive Most Valuable Player and received accolades from Pitts, who, running out of superlatives for his graduating star, simply called her "awesome."

It was not hyperbole.

And she was smiling again the next day when she sat with father Ricky, mother Kim and sister Abby as she signed to continue her softball career at Florida Southwestern State.

The school has one of the nation's top junior college softball programs, one that specializes in sending pitchers on to the next level.

Head coach Robert Iamurri started the program seven years ago and has posted a 354-43 record, has won six Suncoast Conference championships and is 114-5 in conference games.

Florida Southwestern has produced 16 National Junior College Athletic Association All-Americans.

Last season, the Bucs were 56-6, swept all 20 of their conference games.

"Coach Robert is a great pitching coach and I think I'll learn a lot from him," Allegood said.

It took an outstanding program like Florida Southwestern State's to lure Allegood six hours away from home.

"It's going to be hard," she said. "I'm a real homebody. But I'm looking forward to making some friendships there."

The Fort Myers school offers her a chance to reach her ultimate goal.

Allegood hopes to play at Auburn, where she also wants to earn a degree in veterinary medicine.

If she plays for the Bucs as she has for the Lady Packers, she should have an opportunity to relocate to the Plains.

Over the last four seasons, the most successful stretch in Colquitt County softball team history with a combined 94-29 record, Allegood has posted a 50-12 record with a 2.46 ERA.

In 2021, she was 16-3 with a 2.50 ERA and in her senior season, she was a remarkable 19-3 with a 1.59 ERA and 117 strikeouts in 105.2 innings.

She also has hit for average and with power, has improved each season and the last two years she was clearly one of the top players in the state.

As a junior, she was Region 1-7A's Player of the Year and Pitcher of the Year.

She was the Pitcher of the Year this season, with Madison Van Allen of Lowndes taking the Player of the Year award.

A case could be made for Allegood winning both awards again this year as well when she hit .519 with 15 doubles, three triples and eight home runs and drove in 60 runs.

Another testament to ability at the plate was how she won Colquitt County's coveted points championship this year.

Players are awarded points for successful at bats over the course of the season and 100 points is the goal.

Four other players for the 25-5 Lady Packers surpassed the 100-point threshold this season: Laura Hailey Bryan, with 102.5; Carli Pearson, 127.5; Julia Duncan, 137.5; and Maris Hopper, 170.0.

Allegood won the championship with an impressive 245 points, the most since the challenge was started 10 years ago.

She finished her career with a .415 batting average and banged out 35 doubles, five triples and 19 home runs.

It was no surprise she won the Lady Packers Offensive Most Valuable Player Award this season.

Allegood was selected as an All-State player last year and already this fall has been selected for the Georgia Dugout Club's All-State tournament along with Duncan.

When asked who has been the biggest influence on her athletic career, she didn't hesitate naming her father, Ricky Allegood.

"He's been tough on me," she said. "But he's definitely been there for me."

The recent softball banquet was bittersweet for Allegood, who has shared the dugout with the other five Colquitt County seniors — Bryan, Duncan, Madison Plymel, Morgan Holder and Lady Packers Defensive Player of Year Jacey Wetherington — for much of the last four seasons.

For several, the bond goes back even further. "We've been playing together since we were 7 years old," she said.