Grove City High School senior softball player Paige Myers signed a national letter of intent to play for Miami University on Nov. 11, the first day of the NCAA's fall signing period.

She will join a Miami pitching staff that includes former North Canton Hoover ace Jessica Simpson, who was the only pitcher to beat Myers in her sophomore season in 2008. That season, Hoover defeated Grove City 3-0 in a Division I state semifinal, with Myers and Simpson combining to strike out 17 batters while allowing a total of six hits.

"(Miami coach Kelly Kovach Schoenly said) it will be a really good one-two combo," Myers said. "I'm really excited that (Simpson is) there, and I will be able to learn from her without all the pressure situations my freshman year. I'm kind of relieved about that."

Simpson was the MVP of the Mid-American Conference tournament last season, as Miami won the tournament and earned an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament for the second time in program history. The RedHawks won their first NCAA regional tournament game before falling to Notre Dame 5-3 to finish 33-24.

Simpson is expected to be the RedHawks' ace when Myers arrives, but Schoenly expects Myers to contribute immediately.

"You need a (pitching) staff of two or three," Schoenly said. "We play mostly doubleheaders. I foresee (Myers) playing quite a bit as a freshman."

Last season, Myers was 22-2 with a 0.29 ERA and 192 strikeouts, despite an injury late in the season, and was named first-team all-state, all-district and all-OCC-Ohio Division. In 2008, she was 19-1 with a 0.65 ERA and 212 strikeouts and made first-team all-state, all-district and all-OCC-Buckeye.

Myers had verbally committed to Miami prior to last season. She also received Division I scholarship offers from Bowling Green and Kent State.

"It felt like a huge boulder was lifted off my shoulders," she said. "I felt really good. I'm going on to college to play a sport that I like."

Also signing with Miami on Nov. 11 were Gahanna catcher Kayla Ledbetter and Olentangy Liberty shortstop Kirstie Fehrenbach. Ledbetter and Myers are expected to face each other twice in the spring in OCC-Ohio play. Grove City went 13-1 in the OCC-Ohio last season to win its third consecutive league title. Gahanna (11-3) placed second.