You’re a freshman playing your very first game at the state slow pitch tournament along with your big sister. The game is tied in the bottom of the seventh, the bases are loaded with two outs, and you come to bat. 

For Heavener sophomore Cayleigh McGee this was reality. What happens next is a forever memory as Cayleigh hits a walk-off grand slam to win the game.

“It was exciting, amazing and crazy,” said Cayleigh as she relived the moment. “It was so cool to be able to go to state with my sister and it was an awesome freshman experience to play the harder teams and learn from them.”

Her sister Destiny went on to become an All-State selection and left a school record of 36 homers in a single season behind. And while Cayleigh admires her sister, there’s still a little competitive spirit there too.

“I really look up to my sister and I try to follow in her footsteps because she was a really good softball player. But there’s also a part of me that would like to break her home run record” (Cayleigh had 30 last year with a .635 batting average).

Her coach Rodale Sanders thinks that competitive spirit is a big part of what makes Cayleigh so successful as a young player.

“She’s got that drive to succeed to not only beat her sister’s record but to make the team better,” said Sanders.

Cayleigh plays third base in slow pitch but prefers playing catcher which she does in fast pitch.

“My mom was a catcher in high school and she has worked with me a lot and I just like being a part of  that pitcher/catcher combo that is the heart of a team. I think if you don’t have a good pitcher and catcher, you won’t have a good team.”

Cayleigh describes herself as being a happy-go-lucky person (maybe a little goofy too) and has an idea of what she would like to see improve for the Lady Wolves to take the next step this spring.

“I think one of the biggest things I learned last year was the importance of team chemistry and I don’t think ours was the greatest last year so I’m working on making ours better this year.”