Kazi Walker, Waterford High School senior pitcher, had an eventful day Wednesday.

She received a phone call from the Stonehill College softball coaching staff on the bus ride to a game at Norwich Free Academy, offering her a partial scholarship and a spot on next year’s team. Then the Lancers topped 10th-ranked NFA 10-6 in eight innings.

Walker was already accepted at Stonehill when her pitching coach, Jen Hapanowicz, suggested she might try playing there, too. Walker went on an overnight visit last week during April vacation and was waiting to hear from head coach Ken LeGrice.

Stonehill, a Division II program in Easton, Mass., is 23-16 this season and plays in the second round of the Northeast-10 Conference tournament Friday.

“After I got in and stuff, I wanted to try to play and my coach told me, ‘You totally can,’” said Walker, who plays softball and basketball at Waterford. “Within in the last few weeks, it all happened.

“I’m a lot more confident this season. I worked so hard for so long, there was a big part of me that didn’t want to give it up. I went for it and gave it my best. For him to tell me, ‘Come play,’ that made it like everything I did, I did it for something.”

Waterford is 6-3 overall, 4-0 in the Eastern Connecticut Conference Medium Division. Walker is 6-3 — she has given up a total of three earned runs in the three losses — with a 1.52 earned run average, 66 strikeouts and 12 walks in 53 innings.

"Kazi has been outstanding for us this year," said Andy Walker, Waterford's coach and Kazi's uncle. "She is our silent leader, of great character, a consistent positive presence on the mound and you couldn't ask for a better player to coach. She has grown into a fierce competitor on the mound."