HobbsDailyReport.com
ROCK HILL, S.C. – Lenoir-Rhyne University’s women’s softball team has been picked to finish second in the South Atlantic Conference (SAC) this season by the league’s head coaches.
BOONE
The coaches voted this week, with Carson-Newman gaining six first-place votes and 106 points and LRU got four first-place votes and 102 points.
The Bears open the 2018 season in Gulf Shores, Ala., on Feb. 2 at the Gulf Coast Invitational Tournament against West Alabama (10 a.m.) and Lee (4:45 p.m.).
LRU junior outfielder Erin Boone, from Creedmor, is a first-team All-SAC preseason pick, and the Bears have two second-team selections – senior third baseman MacKenzie Cates of Efland and junior pitcher Brandi Parks of Roaring River.
Last season, Boone — a 2017 NCAA Division II third-team All-American — led the conference in batting average (.442), runs (65), hits (87) and on-base percentage (.507) to go along with seven home runs and 47 RBIs. She was first-team all-league and all-region last season.
Cates was named to the All-SAC second team last fall after hitting .302 with eight home runs and 49 RBIs.
Parks went 21-2 last year with a 1.76 ERA, eight shutouts and 131 strikeouts on her way to second-team All-Southeast Region honors.
The Bears finished 46-13 last year, including 16-4 in the SAC and shared their 11th league regular-season title (with Carson-Newman). LRU also earned an NCAA Division II Southeast Regional Tournament bid.
2018 SAC PRESEASON POLL
(Voted on by league head coaches)
1. Carson-Newman (6) 106
2. LENOIR-RHYNE (4) 102
3. Coker (1) 87
4. Newberry 78
5. Anderson 76
6. Wingate 71
7. Tusculum 52
8. Lincoln Memorial 48
9. Queens 42
10. Mars Hill 29
11. Catawba 24
PRESEASON ALL-SAC
FIRST TEAM
OF – Erin Boone, Lenoir-Rhyne
OF – Naomi Sapp, Wingate
OF – Allie Jones, Lincoln Memorial
1B – Maria Williamson, Coker
2B – Ty-Kella Goins, Lincoln Memorial
SS – Kristen Toppel, Carson-Newman
3B – Casey Stanek, Mars Hill
DP – Haley Simonds, Newberry
UTIL – Mindy North, Coker
C – Cailah Niles, Anderson
P – Lacie Rinus, Carson-Newman
P – Taylor Forehand, Coker
SECOND TEAM
OF – Sammie West, Tusculum
OF – Elaina Frantellizzi, Queens
OF – Cacey Simmons, Coker
1B – Emily Hester, Tusculum
2B – Natalie Willis, Newberry
SS – Taylor Johnson, Tusculum
3B – Mackenzie Cates, Lenoir-Rhyne
DP – Taylor Wells, Wingate
UTIL – Taylor Martin, Catawba
C – KaraLynne Levi, Carson-Newman
P – Brandi Parks, Lenoir-Rhyne
P – Emily Marchbanks, Newberry
- Reported by LRU Sports Information