Recruiting News: Why 2021 Infielder Bailey Chapin Once Quit Softball… & Came Back to Become a Georgia Tech Commit

When junior infielder Bailey Chapin of the Atlanta Vipers – Jiles team committed to Georgia Tech on Nov. 12, 2019, her Pope High School softball program tweeted out: “So excited for BayChay!!! Tech is getting an absolute STAR person and player!”

It was the latest accomplishment in a great fall that saw Bailey help her Marietta, Georgia high school team win the Class 6A state title on October 28.

The 6-foot power-hitter came up big a month ago as she had a key RBI single for the Lady Greyhounds in the 6-0 championship win over Lee County High.

A year ago, the then-sophomore set the single-season home run record for her school with 14 breaking the Pope record of nine set by a name most in softball have heard of: Kelly Barnhill, who had a pretty good pitching career back then and, more recently, at the Univ. of Florida.

Bailey’s big break-through season (2018) also saw her hit .385 with 49 RBIs in 38 games to earn 2^nd Team All-State honors. She helped lead Pope High School to a AAAAAA runner up finish as she hit a grand slam and a total of three home runs at the Elite 8 State Finals.

Bailey, however, admits she once quit softball and it looked like the ACC-bound standout, who started T-ball at the age of three and played baseball until she was 8, had hung up her cleats for good.

“I made the switch to softball and started playing travel ball that season,” she recalls. “I moved to Georgia in 5th grade, but ended up quitting softball in 6th, thinking I would never play again.”

After taking a break from the sport, she met a key figure in her life who got excited again to play the game.

“I took a year and a half off,” Bailey continues, “and decided to come back. I met my hitting coach, Scott Kittrell, and he changed the course of my career. I played on a lower level travel team for two years, and then was encouraged to join a more elite team. I didn’t believe in myself but so many others did.”

Before long, Bailey ended up on the prestigious Impact Gold team where she would meet coaches Mark Macy and Serita Brooks and make best friends with players on the team.

“Bailey is a first baseman with serious power, athleticism and good speed,” Coach Macy told Extra Inning Softball early in 2019. “She is one of the most powerful hitters on all levels of teams out there.”

Her size and ability to hit home runs had the young athlete on the radar of ACC and other Power 5 schools and her talent and work ethic paid off in the end.

“The recruiting process was crazy, and beyond fun,” she continued. “I am ecstatic with the decisions I made and can’t wait to be a Jacket.”

Beyond blessed and excited to announce that I have committed to play softball and continue my education at Georgia Tech!!🐝 so thankful for God, and my family, friends, teammates, and coaches who have gotten me here today. Go jackets baby💛 #begold @gatechsoftball pic.twitter.com/brGOScb48C

— Bailey Chapin (@BaileyChapin) November 12, 2019

After some time off from softball, the Pope hitter with pop says she’s glad she got her passion back to play softball.

“All my coaches, along with my parents, helped me to work hard and believe in myself,” she concluded. “When I did, I realized my dreams of playing D1 softball could come true.”

— Brentt Eads, Extra Inning Softball