Tori Dalehite: The UNC Greensboro softball team captured its sixth straight Southern Conference championship with a win over Western Carolina on Saturday at UNCG Softball Stadium. The Spartans defeated the Catamounts 8-0 in six innings on Saturday. Dalehite entered the game as a pinch runner and had an at-bat as a designated player. Dalehite started in right field in the Spartans 3-0 loss to Charlotte on Wednesday. Dalehite started in right field in both games of a doubleheader against Mercer on April 29 at Sikes Field in Macon, GA. The Spartans swept the doubleheader. Against Chattanooga on April 23, Dalehite went 1-for-4 with a double in a 10-2 Spartans win. Dalehite went 1-for-2 with a double in a 1-0 win over the Mocs in Greensboro. UNCG will be the top-seed in next week’s Southern Conference Tournament at Frost Stadium in Chattanooga, TN starting Wednesday.
Takia Nichols: The North Carolina Central softball team concluded the regular season by splitting a doubleheader against Western Carolina at Catamount Softball Complex in Cullowhee. Western Carolina won the opening game 9-2. Nichols went 2-for-4 with a double. In the second game, the Eagles won 7-5, which included Nichols hitting a solo homer in the second inning. It was her team-high seventh home run of the season. Nichols finished 2-for-4 with two RBIs in her final regular season game of her freshman season. She ends the regular season with a .336 batting average, which is second on the team. She leads the team with seven home runs and 28 RBIs. She also has a team-high 23 walks. Central finished the regular season 15-32, 12-7 in the MEAC. The Eagles will be the #3 seed in the MEAC Tournament. They will open against Maryland Eastern Shore on Wednesday morning at 9AM at Norfolk State.
Mary Moss Wirt: The Elon softball team completed its regular season this weekend by sweeping North Carolina A&t in Greensboro. Wirt played as a pinch-hitter in the final game of a doubleheader on Saturday, which the Phoenix won 12-4. Wirt also played as a reserve catcher in the opening game of the twinbill, a 9-0 Elon win. She played as a pinch-hitter and drew a walk in Elon’s 8-0 win over the College of Charleston on April 29 at Hunt Softball Park in Elon. Elon is 22-24 overall, 15-7 in the Colonial Athletic Association. The Phoenix are the #4 seed in the CAA Tournament and will open play on Wednesday against either Towson or North Carolina A&T in Hempsted, NY.
Lauren Jackson: The Lenoir-Rhyne softball team was eliminated by Lincoln Memorial in the South Atlantic Conference Tournament in Hickory last weekend. The Bears defeated Catawba 11-5. Jackson went 1-for-4 with an RBI groundout in the first inning. In the second game, Lincoln Memorial won 4-1. Jackson scored the Bears’ only run with a solo homer in the sixth. Lenoir-Rhyne will now await to see if they make the NCAA Division II Tournament. Jackson, a freshman, hit .343 in 40 games this season. She started 33. She hit two home runs and 22 RBIs.
Jaden Hurdle: The Catawba Indians softball team had its season end with the loss to Lenoir-Rhyne in the SAC Tournament. In her first season with Catawba, Hurdle played in three games. The Indians finished 26-19.
Ava Lowry: The Division III North Carolina Wesleyan softball team ended its season in the USA South Conference Tournament with a 4-3 loss to Mary Baldwin in Greensboro. Methodist defeated the Battlin’ Bishops 1-0 in an elimination game. Against the Monarchs, Lowry went 2-for-3. North Carolina Wesleyan finished 27-15. Lowry hit .351 with two home runs and 15 RBIs in her freshman season.
Olivia Aitkin: Playing at Division III Amherst University, Aitkin played right field in the Mammoths 1-0 win over Colby College in the opening game of a doubleheader in Waterville, ME on Saturday. Aitkin also was a pinch-runner in an 8-4 win over Hamilton College at Amherst Softball Field on April 22. Amherst is 24-12, 12-6 in the New England Small College Athletic Conference. The Mammoths will start their conference tournament on Friday in Medford, MA.
Grace Andrews: The Catawba Valley Community College softball team reached the championship game of the Region X Tournament at Louisburg College. On Saturday, Louisburg defeated the Red Hawks 9-0. Earlier in the day, Catawba Valley defeated Cleveland Community College 3-1 in another elimination game. To open the Region X Tournament, Catawba Valley swept a best-of-three series from Fayetteville Technical Community College. In an 12-1 win on Monday in game one, Andrews started as catcher and went 0-for-1 with a walk. Catawba Valley ends the year 44-8. Andrews, in her third season at Catawba Valley, played in 48 games this season. She hit .413 with one home run and 26 RBIs.