The South Atlantic Conference Announces 2018 Softball Award Winners

ROCK HILL, S.C. (TheSac.com) – Carson-Newman's Lacie Rinus was voted the 2018 South Atlantic Conference Softball Player of the Year, while Emily Kenley from Lenoir-Rhyne was named the Conference's Pitcher of the Year.  In addition, Lenoir-Rhyne's Kylee Leonhardt was named Freshman of the year and Lenoir-Rhyne head coach Shena Hollar was tabbed the Coach of the Year, the SAC Office announced today.

Rinus, a sophomore pitcher/outfielder from Murfreesboro, Tenn., excelled in the circle and at the plate this season, as one of the league's top pitchers and top hitters. She finished the regular season ranked No. 2 in batting with a .450 average, was first in hits with 68 and first in doubles with 19. As a pitcher, she led the league in strikeouts with 200, was No. 2 in wins with 19 and had the fifth best earned run average, posting a 2.12 ERA. A Fast Pitch News Preseason All-American, Rinus earned SAC AstroTurf Pitcher of the Week honors and she was named Tennessee Sports Writers Association Pitcher of the Week this season. 

Kenley, a junior left-handed pitcher from Charlotte, N.C., led the SAC in both wins and ERA, posting a record of 21-3 in the circle with a 1.45 ERA. She threw 19 complete games with five shutouts and had 106 strikeouts. Kenley was named SAC AstroTurf Pitcher of the Year three times this season and is one of 25 finalists for the Schutt/NFCA Division II National Player of the Year.

Leonhardt, a first baseman from Lincolnton, N.C., played in 43 games this season, batting .376 with 14 doubles, eight home runs and 41 RBI. She ranks fifth in the conference in doubles and sixth in runs batted in. She had 16 multi-hit games and she drove in at least one run in 21 games this season. 

Hollar earns her seventh South Atlantic Conference Coach of the Year honor after guiding her Bears to their sixth SAC regular season championship in the last eight years.  The No. 7 Bears finished the 2018 season with an overall record of 42-7, including a SAC record of 19-1.  Hollar's squad led the SAC in batting average (.328) and ERA (1.66). She also had five SAC AstroTurf Player/Pitchers of the Week.

The SAC Softball Awards will be presented at the 2018 SAC Softball Championship at the AU Softball Complex on the campus of Anderson University on Friday, April 27, between games three and four.

2018 SAC Softball All-Conference

All-SAC First Team

OF – Erin Boone, Lenoir-Rhyne
OF – Meghan Majeski, Anderson
OF – Delaney Guerrero, Tusculum
1B – Maria Williamson, Coker
2B – Ty-Kella Goins, Lincoln Memorial
SS – Natalie Willis, Newberry
3B – Talon LaClair, Lenoir-Rhyne
DP – Haley Simonds, Newberry
UTL – Abby Fiessinger, Carson-Newman
C – Mackenzie Cates, Lenoir-Rhyne
P – Emily Kenley, Lenoir-Rhyne
P – Christine Crver, Coker

All-SAC Second Team

OF – Haley Caldwell, Carson-Newman
OF – Sara Ingoldsby, Queens
OF – Allie Jones, Lincoln Memorial
1B – Kylee Leonhardt, Lenoir-Rhyne
2B – Madison Poe, Lenoir-Rhyne
SS – Madison Carter, Lenoir-Rhyne
3B –  Breanna Hagerty, Anderson
DP – Aubrey Reep, Wingate
UTL – Kelsie Hocutt, Lincoln Memorial
C – Cailah Niles, Anderson
P – Lacie Rinus, Carson-Newman
P – Brandi Parks, Lenoir-Rhyne

Honorable Mentions

OF – Taylor Battle, Tusculum
OF – Savannah Moorefield, Lenoir-Rhyne
OF – Allie Baker, Catawba
1B – Kelly Winter, Queens
2B – Sydney Ditto, Queens
SS – Ragan Broome, Mars Hill
3B – Katie Pritchett, Carson-Newman
DP – Christiana Marasa, Mars Hill
UTL – Kaylee Cook, Catawba
C – Jordan Hunt, Queens
P – Harlie Duncan, Anderson
P – Courtney Pearson, Queens

Freshman of the Year

Kylee Leonhardt, Lenoir-Rhyne

Player of the Year

Lacie Rinus, Carson-Newman 

Pitcher of the Year

Emily Kenley, Lenoir-Rhyne

Coach of the Year

Shena Hollar, Lenoir-Rhyne

SAC Statistical Champions

Team Batting Average – Lenoir-Rhyne (.328)
Team Slugging Percentage – Mars Hill (.518)
Team On-Base Percentage – Newberry (.401)
Team Runs Scored Per Game – Queens (6.31)
Team Home Runs Per Game – Mars Hill (1.28)
Team Triples Per Game – Tusculum (0.33)
Team Doubles Per Game – Mars Hill (1.86)
Team Stolen Bases Per Game – Queens (1.96)
Team ERA – Lenoir-Rhyne (1.66)
Team Strikeout-to-Walk Ratio – Coker (2.15)

Batting Average – Maria Williamson (.452)
On-Base Percentage – Sydney Ditto, Queens (.524)
Slugging Percentage – Ragan Broome, Mars Hill (.844)
Home Runs Per Game – Ragan Broome, Mars Hill (0.36)
RBIs Per Game – Haley Simonds, Newberry (1.26)
Runs Scored Per Game – Sydney Ditto, Queens (1.08)
Triples Per Game – Taylor Battle, Tusculum (0.16)
Doubles Per Game – Ragan Broome, Mars Hill (0.47)
Stolen Bases Per Game – Sabrina Martinez (0.57)
ERA – Emily Kinley, Lenoir-Rhyne (1.45)
Strikeouts Per Seven Innings – Courtney Pearson, Queens (6.90)
Pitching Victories – Emily Kinley, Lenoir-Rhyne (21) 

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