Saugus freshman Hayley Mihut knows how to use her brain. She’s a straight-A student who wants to be a pediatric neurosurgeon and is constantly balancing grades and softball.
But when it came to choosing a college, it was her gut that she followed. Saugus softball announced over Twitter on Friday that Mihut had committed to the University of Mississippi.
“As soon as … I got home from the trip I knew something about the school, I just loved it,” Mihut said. “The more I thought about it, the more I knew that’s where I wanted to spend four years of my life. The community, the coaching staff, the team, that was a school I wanted to be a part of.”
The shortstop is also well aware of Ole Miss’s softball prowess. The team won the Southeastern Conference Tournament last season and made it to the NCAA Super Regional, where they eventually fell to UCLA.
Mihut will play for the Saugus varsity team in the upcoming season and also plays for SoCal Choppers 18U Gold team. She’s the only freshman on the club team.
She’s got lofty goals this year for herself and the Centurions.
“I’m hoping to be an All-American, hoping Saugus wins CIF this year,” said Mihut. “That would be a great accomplishment for the school and four our girls.”
Mihut is the third Saugus softball freshman to commit to an SEC school. McKenna Gibson and Gracie Keene committed to University of Tennessee on Oct. 3.
“The talent in Santa Clarita, there’s a lot of potential there, a lot of good players and I’m friends with so many of them,” said Mihut.