Wednesday,
April 18, 2007
PC’s Cassady Named To
The All-SAC Softball Second Team
ROCK HILL, S.C. – Presbyterian College freshman Paige Cassady was named to the All-South Atlantic Conference softball second team it was announced by the league office on Wednesday.
A native of Orlando, Fla., Cassady (15-7) acquired a team-best 15 wins in the circle for the Lady Blue Hose in the 2007 regular season.
Cassady pitched 123.2 innings and fanned a team-high 152 batters. She finished with a team-low 1.94 ERA.
An outfielder when not in the pitcher’s circle, Cassady hit .305 during the 2007 campaign with nine extra-base hits and 14 RBIs.
As a team the Lady Blue Hose concluded the year with the most stolen bases in the league with 179.
Lenoir-Rhyne College catcher Karie Pushard, who helped lead the Bears to a conference championship by batting a team-best .368 and pitcher Meredith O'Connor, who set a conference record with 298 strikeouts, were named Softball Player and Pitcher of the Year.
Pushard, a junior from Harrisburg, N.C. (Central Cabarrus HS), ranked sixth in the league in slugging percentage (.648) and fifth in on-base percentage (.459). She committed just one error all season.
O'Connor, a junior from Charlotte, N.C. (Appalachian St. University), went 22-2 on the mound with a 1.08 ERA and allowed opponents to hit just .142 against her.
Catawba College second baseman Allie Marshall (Pleasant Garden, NC/SE Guilford), who was second in the league in runs batted in and home runs, was named Freshman of the Year.
Mars Hill College coach David Williams, who led the Lions to their first winning record since the South Atlantic Conference became an all-sports league in 1990, was named Coach of the Year. The Lions are 32-20 overall and tied for sixth place in the conference standings with a 6-8 record.
The SAC All-Conference teams are selected by the head coaches.
Wingate catcher Mandi Chester was named SAC Scholar Athlete for softball for the second year in a row.
Chester, a senior from Charlotte, NC (Independence), has a 3.673 GPA, majoring in middle grades education.
Chester hit .386 this season for the Bulldogs and had 28 RBIs in 28 games played. In 2006, she was a Louisville Slugger/NFCA Division II All-American as well as ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District.
She is a member of Phi Eta Sigma Honor Society and is a volunteer tutor in her math classes. She also donates her time at the Charlotte homeless shelter and has participated in Operation Christmas Child every year since she was in middle school. She also is a member of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee at Wingate and is a catching and hitting coach for local recreational leagues.
Regular season statistical champions and senior awards were also announced.
2007 SOUTH ATLANTIC CONFERENCE SOFTBALL AWARD WINNERS
FIRST TEAM
Catcher - Karie Pushard, Lenoir-Rhyne
Pitcher - Casey Hanes, Lenoir-Rhyne
Pitcher - Meredith O'Connon, Lenoir-Rhyne
1st base - Leah Krohn, Lenoir-Rhyne *
1st base - Chrissy Wilkison, Tusculum *
2nd base - Allie Marshall, Catawba
Shortstop - Brooke Starnes, Lenoir-Rhyne
3rd base - Jessica Howard, Carson-Newman
Outfield - Hillary Hammond, Carson-Newman*
Outfield - Jessica Whitesides, Catawba*
Outfield - Taylor Queen, Lenoir-Rhyne*
Outfield - Joy Henry, Wingate*
Utility - Sara Powell, Newberry
SECOND TEAM
Catcher - Kristina Osborn, Mars Hill
Pitcher - Stephanie Templeton, Carson-Newman
Pitcher - Paige Cassady, Presbyterian
2nd base - Whitney Hickam, Carson-Newman
Shortstop - Courtney Lindler, Newberry
3rd base - Hallie Pettigrew, Wingate
Outfield - Katie Speaks, Carson-Newman
Outfield - Brittany Cherry, Lenoir-Rhyne
Utility - LaRonda McClain, Wingate
COACH OF THE YEAR - David Williams, Mars Hill
FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR - Allie Marshall, Catawba
PITCHER OF THE YEAR - Meredith O'Connor, Lenoir-Rhyne
PLAYER OF THE YEAR - Karie Pushard, Lenoir-Rhyne
SCHOLAR-ATHLETE - Mandi Chester, Wingate
SOFTBALL STAT CHAMPIONS
Jessie Howard, Carson-Newman - Batting Avg., .441; On-Base Pct., .480
Leah Krohn, Lenoir-Rhyne - Slugging Pct., .745; Homers Per Game, 0.30;
Jessie Howard, Carson-Newman - Runs Scored Per Game, 1.20
Whitney Hickam, Carson-Newman - RBIs Per Game, 1.36
Kristina Osborn, Mars Hill - Doubles Per Game, 0.42
Kimee Lewis, Wingate - Triples Per Game, 0.13
Jessie Howard, Carson-Newman - Stolen Bases Per Game, 0.68
Casey Hanes, Lenoir-Rhyne - Earned Run Average, 1.01
Ashley Green, Wingate - Pitching Victories, 25
Meredith O'Connor, Lenoir-Rhyne - Strikeouts Per Game, 11.97
Carson-Newman - Batting Avg., .352; Slugging Pct., .517; On Base Pct., .421; Runs Per Game, 7.23; RBIs Per Game; 6.57
Lenoir-Rhyne - Homers Per Game, 1.16; Earned Run Average, 1.05; Strikeouts Per Game, 9.99
Presbyterian - Stolen Bases Per Game, 179