By CHRIS HOBBS
HobbsDailyReport.com
Conference champion East Lincoln High leads the All-South Fork 2A softball team and has the league’s top defensive player and head coach.
Head coaches in the league voted five Mustangs as all-conference, led by senior Payton Baker as the Defensive Player of the Year.
East Lincoln (16-2) also has the Coach of the Year, Mike Freeman.
The Offensive Player of the Year award went to Newton-Conover senior Grace Loftin.
Loftin was a star on the mound — going 6-1 with an ERA of 1.21, walking 21 and striking out 94 – and red-hot at the plate. She hit .677 with four doubles, five triples, seven home runs and 18 RBIs. Her statistics are through 13 games.
Baker went 15-1 for the Mustangs, making 16 starts and throwing 11 complete games. She had an ERA of 1.86, pitching 90 innings and walking four and striking out 109.
ALL-SOUTH FORK 2A SOFTBALL
(as voted by conference head coaches)
Bandys: Caroline McIntosh, Lydia Poovey, Rylee Bost, Anneliese Andrews
E. Lincoln: Taliya Thomas, Betsy Eatmon, Payton Baker, Kate Hogue, Katelynn Crowe
Lake Norman Charter: Kristy Seifert
Lincolnton: Ashley Antonio
Maiden: Kaidyn Rogers, Kailey Kiser
Newton-Conover: Grace Loftin, Kayla Hollar, Georgia Ingle
N. Lincoln: Tessa Hunt, Morgan McCaslin, Lilly Stump, Ashlyn White
W. Lincoln: Morgan Chapman, Emma Bumgarner
Offensive Player of the Year: Grace Loftin, Newton-Conover
Defensive Player of the Year: Payton Baker, E. Lincoln
Coach of the Year: Mike Freeman, E. Lincoln
