Richmond Hill’s Adriana Garrett signed with Charleston Southern for softball Friday night after helping the Wildcats reach the state tournament three straight years.

The signing had an interesting touch as it was held at the Shell House Restaurant, which Garrett’s family owns. Family, friends and teammates gathered to watch her sign before enjoying dinner.

Garrett said she began playing softball in second grade and fell in love with it, thanks to her mom April, a former coach at Savannah Christian.

“We were always in the yard playing catch and working on fundamentals,” Garrett said. “And I was always going to practice with her, hanging around with the older girls.

“It’s the little things about the game that I like,” she continued. “Making a great catch or coming up with a big hit. The feeling you get from that never gets old.”

Garrett said she began playing 18U travel softball at 14, which helped hone her game, and agreed that playing against older, tougher competition made her a better player.

Garrett is believed to be just the second Wildcat to play Division I softball after Jennifer Katzman, who played at Savannah State earlier this decade.

The Buccaneers, playing in the Big South Conference, went 26-36 overall this past season, 10-11 in the conference.

Garrett, a centerfielder, said Coach Shane Winkler told her he believes she can start at that position as a freshman.

“I’m comfortable anywhere in the outfield, but center is my favorite,” Garrett said. 

As a senior she hit .394 with three home runs and 24 RBIs and had a .955 fielding percentage. Garrett was all-region and all-state as a junior and senior.

She said Winkler was a big reason why she chose Charleston Southern.

“The players there said that the way he treats you as a recruit is the same way he treats you as a player once you get there,” she said. “He’s really cool.”

Garrett said she plans to major in business and either come back to work in the family business or go into real estate.