Reagan Simmons: In the second game of a doubleheader on March 18, Simmons hit two home runs as Division II Wingate defeated #24 Carson-Newman 7-4 last Wednesday at The Vick in Jefferson City, TN. Simmons hit a solo blast in the second. In her next plate appearance, Simmons smashed a two-run home run in the third. In her freshman season with Wingate, Simmons is hitting .323 with four home runs and eleven RBIs through 18 games. She has started nine times. Wingate is 16-10 overall, 3-3 in the SAC.
Sadie Cecil: For the week ending March 17, Cecil was named the Southern Atlantic Conference Player of the Week. Cecil, playing for Division II Mars Hill, went 9-of-14, hitting .642 with a 1.357 slugging percentage. Against Newberry, Cecil went 3-for-4 with a home run and three RBIs in the opening game of a doubleheader on March 14. The Lions won 14-4 in six innings. Cecil went 1-for-3 with a run scored in the nightcap, which Newberry won 7-4. Over the weekend, Mars Hill swept a doubleheader from Coker at Saleeby-Stokes Softball Field in Hartsville, SC. In the opening game, Cecil with 1-for-4 with an RBI single in a 9-2 win over the Cobras on Saturday. Cecil scored two runs in Mars Hill’s 8-5 win in the second game. Mars Hill is 24-6 overall, 5-1 in the SAC.
Allie Carden: Another former Orange player suiting up for Mars Hill, Carden got her first college home run in a win over Shaw on March 9. She also played both games in the doubleheader against Newberry.
Charlotte Lowry: On Saturday, Lowry earned her first college pitching win for Division II Lees-McRae. Lowry came on in relief of Ellie Hale in the fifth inning and threw three-plus innings. She surrendered four hits without giving up a run as the Bobcats defeated the Converse Balkyries 6-5 at Bobcat Field in Banner Elk. So far this season, Lowry has compiled a 3.43 ERA over ten appearances. Lees-McRae is 8-15 overall, 2-7 in Conference Carolinas.
Mary Moss Wirt: Elon took its opening Coastal Athletic Association series of the year against UNC Wilmington. On Sunday, Wirt went 1-for-2 as the Seahawks defeated the Phoenix 1-0 at Boseman Field in Wilmington. Wirt also started at catcher in the Phoenix’s 2-0 win over UNCW on Friday. Wirt has started in 27 games for Elon with a .215 batting average with one home runs and nine RBIs. Elon is 11-19 overall, 5-1 in the CAA. They will host Wofford at Hunt Softball Park in Elon on Tuesday.
Carson Bradsher: Division III Averett University is 12-6 overall, but dropped its opening two games in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference against Bridgwater over the weekend at Cougar Field in Danville, VA. Bradsher led off in both games, playing shortstop. On March 13, Averett split a doubleheader against North Carolina Wesleyan in Danville on March 13. Bradsher went 3-for-4 with three runs scored with an RBI double as the Cougars won 11-10 over the Battlin’ Bishops. Averett jumped out to a 7-0 lead and held on to win. In the second game of the doubleheader, Bradsher went 2-for-3 with two runs scored and a stolen base. Wesleyan won 12-7, scoring five runs in the seventh inning. Bradsher leads the Cougars with a .477 batting average over the first 18 games. She also leads the squad with 24 runs, 31 hits and seven stolen bases. Averett will face Christopher Newport University in a doubleheader on Thursday. Bradsher was the leadoff batter for Orange’s 2021 team that went undefeated during a season that was shortened by the COVID-19 pandemic. She was the leading hitter for an Orange squad that won its last conference championship in softball, playing softball while Wirt played third base.
Olivia Aitkin: A senior at Division III Amherst University, Aitkin started her final season with the Mammoths on March 15. Amherst dropped its opener to Macalester College 13-6 at Legends Way Ballfields in Clermont, FL. On March 19, Aitkin scored her first run of the season in a 6-3 win over Westminster College. Aitkin was a three-sport athlete at Cedar Ridge, playing golf and swimming.
Kelsey Tackett: Playing for North Carolina Wesleyan, Tackett played in her first game of the season against Mid-Atlantic Christian last Wednesday. The Battlin’ Bishops defeated Mid-Atlantic Christian 16-2 in Rocky Mount. Tackett entered the game as a catcher in the seventh inning. North Carolina Wesleyan is 12-7-1 overall, 1-1 in the USA South Conference. Tackett is a junior.
