Ava Lowry: The Division III North Carolina Wesleyan softball team swept a doubleheader from Methodist on Tuesday. In the Battling Bishops’ 7-0 win in the nightcap, Lowry went 2-for-4 with a double. Wesleyan won the opening game 5-3, where Lowry, starting at shortstop, went 1-for-3. On April 5, Wesleyan swept a doubleheader from William Peace in Rocky Mount. In the opening game, Lowry went 1-for-2 with an RBI single as the Bishops won 8-0 in five innings. Through 32 games, Lowry is hitting .307 with two home runs and 13 RBIs. Wesleyan is 21-10 overall, 6-4 in the USA South Conference.
Takia Nichols: For the second time this season, Nichols was named the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Rookie of the Week. Last weekend, the North Carolina Central Eagles clinched a series against Howard to maintain first place in the MEAC. Playing at the national Youth Academy in Washington, D.C., Nichols went 3-for-3 with a solo homer as the Eagles defeated the Bison 11-3 on Saturday. Nichols knocked in the opening Eagles run with an RBI single in the first inning. In the fourth, Nichols drew a bases-loaded walk to put the Eagles ahead 5-2. On Friday, the Eagles won the opening game of a doubleheader 11-3 in six innings. Nichols went 2-for-4 with an RBI. In the third, Nichols drove in a run off an error by the shortstop. In the second game of the doubleheader, the Bison won 11-7. Nichols finished 1-for-2 with an RBI single in the first inning. Through 31 games, Nichols leads the Eagles with six home runs. She is second on the squad with a .337 batting average and 26 RBIs. She also leads the team with 51 total bases.
Grace Andrews: The Catawba Valley Community College softball team is ranked #15 in the National Junior College Athletic Association Division II. The Red Hawks swept a doubleheader from Southwest Virginia in Honaker, VA last weekend. It was the 100th career win for head coach Josh Bumgarner. In the second game of the doubleheader, which the Red Hawks won 7-1, Andrews went 1-for-3 with an RBI single. On April 3, the Red Hawks swept a doubleheader from Pitt Community College at Highland Recreation Center in Hickory. Andrews went 2-for-3 in the opening game, which the Red Hawks captured 10-1 in five innings. Andrews went 1-for-3 in the opening game, which CVCC won 6-0. On Tuesday, Catawba Valley swept another doubleheader from Bryant & Stratton College. The Red Hawks won the opener 6-1, then captured the nightcap 9-0 in five innings. Catawba Valley is 32-6 overall, 19-6 in Region X of the NJCAA.
Lauren Jackson: The Division II Lenoir-Rhyne softball team is now up to #22 in the country. The Bears swept a doubleheader from UVA-Wise at Bears Field in Hickory on April 2. The Bears won the opening game 9-2. Jackson, who started as catcher, went 1-for-2. Jackson appeared as a pinch-hitter in the Bears 6-2 win in the nightcap. Jackson faced her former Orange High teammate, Jaden Hurdle, when the Bears faced Catawba on March 29. The two teams split the doubleheader. Jackson had a single as a pinch-hitter in the Indians’ 7-5 victory over the Bears.
Mary Moss Wirt: A former Orange High player faced off against a former Cedar Ridge player when Elon dueled with North Carolina Central at Hunt Softball Park on Wednesday. Elon defeated Central 8-0 in five innings. Wirt played as a pinch hitter and entered the game as a catcher in the seventh inning. Nichols started at first base for the Eagles. Elon improved to 15-20. Wirt also played as a catcher against Duke on Tuesday at Duke Softball Stadium. The Blue Devils, ranked #11 in the country, defeated the Phoenix 4-0. On April 2, the Phoenix split a doubleheader against Hampton. In the Phoenix’s 9-0 win, Wirt played as a catcher in the seventh inning. Elon will host UNC Wilmington in a three-game series starting with a doubleheader on Saturday.
Tori Dalehite: The UNC Greensboro softball team lost both games against Furman University at Pepsi Stadium in Greenville, SC last weekend. Dalehite scored a run as a pinch-runner in Sunday’s 9-8 loss to the Paladins. Furman edged the Spartans 5-4 in nine innings on Thursday in the opening game of the doubleheader. Dalehite played as a pinch-hitter.
Jaden Hurdle: Hurdle entered games as a reserve for Division II Catawba in a series against Newberry last week at Whitley Field in Salisbury.