POULSBO — Shana McLaughlin, one of the engines of the North Kitsap fastpitch team for the last three years, will next take to the mound for Wenatchee Valley College.

McLaughlin will join the Knights, who last season finished fourth in the Northwest Association of Community Colleges.

While McLaughlin was accepted to other schools, including St. Martin’s, she said the strong academics offered by Wenatchee Valley swayed her decision.

“They have a good biology program, which is what I’m interested in,” McLaughlin said.

McLaughlin, who also played for the recreational Diamond Dusters team in her years in North Kitsap, was impressed by Knights coach Shelly Pflugrath when she went to Wenatchee for a visit several weekends ago.

“She’s open. She likes to talk. And she’s a disciplinarian, which I like,” said McLaughlin, who had a tryout on campus with some of the Wenatchee Valley players, throwing and hitting for Pflugrath to see her skills

The admiration goes both ways.

“Some players play the game, and some look like ballplayers. She looks like a ballplayer,” said Pflugrath.

After adjusting to a 43-foot distance between the plate and the mound, McLaughlin will help the Knights right away, said Pflugrath; she will also help with her bat.

“She swings a good bat,” said Pflugrath.

McLaughlin was also happy with the feel of Wenatchee.

“It’s like Poulsbo; very small-town. I like that,” said McLaughlin. “It’s a small campus, so it’s personal, one-on-one.”

Wenatchee Valley College has about 4,500 students.

When McLaughlin signed a letter of intent, it was also a happy day for Vikings’ head coach Dan Kolda, who coached McLaughlin on recreational teams, and saw firsthand the work that is helping send her to college.

“It makes a lot of the work worthwhile,” said Kolda. He said, “She has separated herself from the crowd.”

Kolda said McLaughlin’s work ethic helped make that separation possible.

“She has a passion unlike most. She’s got that extra edge, that look in her eyes,” he said.