Raines signs with Lady Lions

By By Tony Krausz / assistant sports editor
July 15, 2004
East Mississippi Community College's Pam Moore had to put in a little extra effort to snag her ninth softball signee of the year.
The Lady Lions head softball coach wasn't deterred when Southeast Lauderdale High School catcher Lindsey Raines initially passed on a chance to join the EMCC program.
Moore's patience and persistence paid off on Wednesday afternoon when Raines inked a letter of intent to play for EMCC in the main office at Southeast Lauderdale.
Raines batted over .500 in slow-pitch and fast-pitch softball in her senior year at Southeast Lauderdale.
She was a five-year starter for the Lady Tigers, and she was named Southeast Lauderdale's MVP for the past three seasons.
Raines, who also pitched in high school but will be used primarily behind the plate at EMCC, said her change of heart mainly stemmed from having the opportunity to play catcher at the college level.
The latest Lady Lions' fondness for catcher was just what the doctor order for Moore, who has now signed five players from Lauderdale County.
Raines said EMCC is appealing to her because of its location.
The campus in Scooba is close enough to home for the catcher to be able to visit easily, but it is also far enough away to give her a feel of what it is like to live on her own.