January 16, 2015 12:15 am • By Kyle Cummings / kcummings@columbustelegram.com

COLUMBUS -- Samantha Legler has always had a knack of getting to the next level as soon as possible.

At 14, she grew tired of playing softball in the slow-pitch league. She needed more of a challenge, so she jumped up to the fast-pitch league early.

"It wasn't fun anymore, so I wanted to try a step up," she said.

Thursday, Legler reached a new level again -- on the very first day she was able.

The senior Discoverer signed her letter of intent Thursday at Columbus High School to play softball at Central Community College.

"I'm glad I get to play something that I've loved ever since I was little," Legler said. "It's an exciting experience."

Moving up in the softball ranks isn't the only thing Legler does quickly.

That's how she plays the game, too. In the outfield or on the bases, Legler's speed certainly made an impact on Columbus High.

It also made Columbus High head softball coach Paul Braun's job much easier.

When Legler reached base, he knew the odds of her scoring were pretty good.

"With her speed, it gave us a lot more options during the game," he said.

That carried over into the field, too, Braun explained.

On several occasions, Braun can remember Legler tracking down spectacular catches.

They weren't just the typical run-down catches either, Braun explained. They're eye-opening, game-saving grabs.

"A big one she made, if I remember correctly, was against Grand Island," Braun said. "We had a tight game in the first one and she saved us some runs there. She gave us a great opportunity to win that game. That really shows what she's willing to do on the field as a teammate and as a team player to get a win. They were fantastic. They weren't hit right at her. She had to track the ball down."

Legler brings much more than quick legs to the Raiders next season, though. She has a solid bat, too. Though right-handed, Legler is a left-handed slap hitter -- a nice addition, according to Central head softball coach Jack Gutierrez.

"She's a slapper, so that's difficult to defend," he said.

But that didn't come without plenty of work and a fair share of dedication. For years, Legler tried batting right-handed. Because she wasn't seeing the success she'd hoped for offensively, she switched things up.

"I wasn't doing so good at my right-handed (swing), so it was like, why not try left-handed, since I have a little speed?" she said.

Admittedly, it was a tough transition, but it seems to have worked out.

"My very first game going into it, I struck out a lot," Legler said. "Then the second game, magically, I started hitting it and hitting it and it kind of built up from there."

She plans on studying elementary education at Central Community College, which is what drew Legler to become a Raider.