Lady Eagles picked to win 2009 SAC softball title
Jan. 29, 2009
ROCK HILL, SC -- The Carson-Newman softball team has been picked to win the 2009 South Atlantic Conference championship in a vote of the league's head coaches, the conference announced Thursday.
The Lady Eagles received five first-place votes and 75 total points.
C-N is coming off a 49-8 season in which it won the SAC regular season title, the Food Lion SAC Tournament championship and advanced to the NCAA South Atlantic Regional.
The Lady Eagles also placed four players on the preseason All-SAC squads. Junior pitcher Stephanie Templeton (Ringgold, Ga.) was named to the first team. Senior catcher Amber Palmer (Kennesaw, Ga.), junior first baseman Sara Little (Calhoun, Ga.) and sophomore outfielder Whitney Kee (Knoxville, Tenn.) were selected to the second team.
Templeton, a second team All-SAC selection in 2008, went 18-1 with a 1.25 ERA last season. She finished with 170 strikeouts in 134 innings of work. Templeton also batted .316 in 79 plate appearances.
Palmer started all 57 games for the Lady Eagles last season and batted .257 with six doubles, one home run, 25 RBI and 23 runs scored. She also had a .987 fielding percentage.
Little, who started 55 games for C-N in 2008, batted .319 with 16 doubles, one triple, three home runs, 36 RBI and 21 runs scored.
Kee was named to the second team All-SAC team last season after batting .328 with eight doubles, one triple, three home runs, 23 RBI and 33 runs scored.
Wingate University is picked to finish second. The Bulldogs, coming off of a 31-17 record last season, received 63 points.
The Bulldogs have four players on the preseason All-SAC team. Pitcher Brittany Blankenship, who had 159 strikeouts, 37 wins and a 1.70 ERA, and third baseman Hallie Pettigrew were named to the first team. Outfielders Heather Winchester and LoRonda McClain received second team honors.
Lenoir-Rhyne University is picked to finish third. It received two first place votes and 58 total points.
The Bears had three named to the preseason All-SAC first team. Second baseman Noel Belk returns after batting .383 last season. Joining Belk on the preseason All-SAC first team are shortstop Kat Rivers, who hit eight home runs last year and outfielder Brittany Cherry, who had 70 hits and 17 doubles last season.
Mars Hill College is picked to finish fourth with 52 points.
The Lions have four players named to the preseason All-SAC. Outfielder Natalie Haithcox, the 2008 SAC Freshman of the Year who had 74 hits and 11 home runs and first baseman Ashley Seawell, who hit nine home runs last season, were named to the first team. Pitchers Tiffany Farthing and Paige Brantley made second team. Farthing had 127 strikeouts last season, while Brantley finished with 99.
Lincoln Memorial University is fifth in the preseason poll after receiving 43 points and finishing with a 32-16 record last year.
The Railsplitters have three players on the preseason All-SAC team including third baseman Sara Henn, the reigning SAC Player of the Year. Henn had 74 hits, 50 runs and led the league with 13 home runs last year. She is joined on the first team by outfielder Jackie Adams, who had 28 stolen bases last season. Utility player Mira McPeek received second team honors after hitting 14 doubles last year.
Catawba College is sixth in the preseason poll after receiving one first place vote and 39 total points. Catcher Ryann Baker, who finished last season with a .283 batting average and four home runs, was named to the first team.
Newberry College is picked to finish seventh after receiving one first place vote and 34 points. Second baseman Kat Hammond, who had 56 hits, nine home runs and a .415 batting average last season, was named to the preseason All-SAC second team.
Tusculum College is eight after receiving 29 points in the preseason poll. Shortstop Ashley Basilicato, who finished last year with nine home runs and a .371 batting average, was named to the preseason All-SAC second team for the Pioneers.
Brevard College rounds out the preseason poll with 12 points. They are looking to improve on a 13-27 record last year after being a provisional member in conference play.
The 2009 softball season starts Feb. 4 with a double header between Lander and Newberry at 2 and 4 pm in Newberry, S.C.
The 2009 Food Lion SAC Softball Tournament will be April 23-25 in Hickory, N.C.
SAC Release & Poll
2009 SAC SOFTBALL ALL-CONFERENCE TEAMS
FIRST TEAM
Catcher - Ryann Baker, Catawba
Pitcher - Brittany Blankenship, Wingate
Pitcher - Stephanie Templeton, Carson-Newman
First Base - Ashley Seawell, Mars Hill
Second Base - Noel Belk, Lenoir-Rhyne
Shortstop - Kat Rivers, Lenoir-Rhyne
Third Base - Sara Henn, Lincoln Memorial
Third Base, Hallie Pettigrew, Wingate
Outfield - Natalie Haithcox, Mars Hill
Outfield - Brittany Cherry, Lenoir-Rhyne
Outfield - Jackie Adams, Lincoln Memorial
Utility - Sara Powell, Newberry
SECOND TEAM
Catcher - Amber Palmer, Carson-Newman
Pitcher - Tiffany Farthing, Mars Hill
Pitcher - Paige Brantley, Mars Hill
First Base - Sara Little, Carson-Newman
Second Base - Kat Hammond, Newberry
Shortstop - Ashley Basilicato, Tusculum
Outfield - Whitney Kee, Carson-Newman
Outfield - Heather Winchester, Wingate
Outfield - LaRonda McClain, Wingate
Utility - Mira McPeek, Lincoln Memorial
