King signs to pitch at Bethel

Angela King (middle), a senior at Marlette High School, signed a letter of intent last Wednesday evening to attend and play softball at Bethel College in Mishawaka, Indiana, this next school year. King will follow two sisters and a brother that also played sports and graduated from Bethel College. Also pictured are Angela's parents, Marlene and Lehn King, sitting, and MHS softball coach Duane Pitts. Photo by Dale Ball MARLETTE - Angela King is keeping up a family tradition.

The Marlette High senior will follow the path of sisters Mandy and Alisa and brother Ryan in attending Bethel College and playing a varsity sport.

King, a standout pitcher and hitter for the Lady Red Raiders the last two seasons, signed a letter of intent last Wednesday to play softball next season at Bethel College, located in Mishawaka, Indiana.

“All my siblings have played sports in college, at Bethel College. So, they’ve really inspired me to keep going and pressing on,” King remarked.

Her sisters - Mandy (King) Haag and Alisa (King) Fowler - both played for current Pilots’ coach Anna Welsh, who is now in her eighth season at Bethel. Angela’s brother, Ryan, attended Bethel and played on the men’s soccer team.

For the Lady Raiders the past two seasons, King, as a pitcher, had been named to the All-District and All-County teams twice. She was a Division 3 All-Region selection last year and on has been an All- Conference (GTC) Scholar-Athlete the last two years.

“it’s a goal I’ve had always to play college softball,” King added. “So, it’s like a reward for all the work I’ve put into it. It means a lot.”

Knowing Coach Welsh for quite awhile hasn’t hurt, either. She commented, “She’s coached both of my sisters. So, ever since I was little, I’ve talked to her and she’s been great.”

Coach Welsh, meanwhile, is happy to keep this King family tradition going.

“We are excited to have another King at Bethel for the next four years,” Welsh said. “Angela knows what we are all about and she is a great fit for Bethel, on and off the field.”

Welsh, whose team this year is No. 12 in country in the NAIA pre-season rankings, has led the Pilots to five Mid-Central Conference titles and five NAIA playoff berths in the last seven seasons.

Under Duane Pitts, Marlette head coach, King has led the Lady Raiders in pitching victories the last two seasons, compiling an E.R.A, of 1.74. In the 2011 season, she struck out 108 batters. As a team co-captain last spring, she also batted .607 and drove in 38 runs.

Coach Pitts said King is easily deserving of her scholarship that will take her to a next level of softball

“This is just a real nice honor to have. She’s worked so hard as a member of our team for three years now. She’s been a really good leader for the kids on our team, and I’m really happy for her today. This is nice for her to share with her family,” Pitts said.

He added, “She’s really a good pitcher and she’’s a really good hitter, too. (Bethel) is getting a really good player and person. I’m very happy for her.”

King, who also owns a GPA of 3.98 at Marlette, is the daughter of Lehn and Marlene King.