Local softball players sign on to play at next level

</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[The ink has dried on the National Letter of Intent of a pair of local softball players, as Eldorado's Ame Whitlock and Rosiclare's Jayna Spivey will take their respective games to the next level.

Whitlock signed with the University of Southern Indiana and Spivey signed with Southern Illinois University Carbondale to open the signing period.

"It's kind of surreal. You work for it your whole life and it's finally there. I'm kind of getting used to the fact that I finally got it," Whitlock said.

The Eldorado youngster said she realized she wanted to go to USI when she first stepped onto the Screaming Eagles' campus.

"I went last spring and visited, and when I stepped on campus, that's when I decided that's where I wanted to go," she said. "It's really kind of closed in. They're building a new business management building, and I'll be majoring in accounting."

Whitlock said being nearly an hour away from home, and being in the presence of her brother, Jake, will help ease the transition to college.

Family ties is one thing Whitlock said she was thankful for, especially her parents.

"They gave up a lot for me to go to tournaments because they're not close," Whitlock said.

Spivey was one of four players to sign with Kerri Blaylock's Salukis. As a sophomore, Spivey hit .450 as the team posted a 33-3 record and won regional and conference titles.

In 2007, Spivey helped the Southern Force traveling softball team finish as the national runner-up at the 16U tournament.

"Jayna is a winner and she has played at an elite level since she was 13 years old," Blaylock said in a press release. "She is not large in stature, but does carry a big bat. She will play second base for us and provide gap power at the plate."