Huntingdon’s Miller named first-team All-Conference
FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. – Huntingdon freshman Samara Miller was recognized by the USA South Athletic Conference on Thursday with the release of the All-Conference softball awards.
Miller was named first-team All-Conference as an outfielder. She is the first Huntingdon softball player to earn first-team honors since 2014.
In the first year of divisional teams in softball, she was named first-team in the West Division. The Arab, Ala., native was also named to the USA South All-Sportsmanship team.
Miller leads Huntingdon and is eighth in the USA South with a .407 batting average this season. Her 46 hits lead the Lady Hawks and are tied for 10th in the conference. She also has 18 RBIs, eight doubles and 14 runs.
Miller also made her mark with timely performances this season. In Huntingdon's 15 wins, Miller drove in the winning run in four games and scored the winning run in two games.
She hit a pair of two-out singles to drive in the winning runs in a 2-1 and 3-1 sweep of Salem. Her RBI single in the bottom of the seventh ended Game 1 and her two-run single in the bottom of the sixth put Huntingdon ahead. She drove in three runs in a 4-3 win over Greensboro, including the final run in the bottom of the seventh and drove in all three runs in a 3-1 win over LaGrange. Miller scored the winning runs in a 1-0 win over Piedmont and a 4-3 win over Wesleyan.
Huntingdon will open the USA South Tournament at home in a best-of-three series with Covenant. The two teams will play a doubleheader on Friday, beginning at 1 p.m. If a third game is needed, it will be played on Saturday at noon.
The winner advances to the double-elimination portion of the tournament in LaGrange, Ga., on Apr. 13-15.
Averett senior shortstop Jessica Long was named USA South Player of the Year and Piedmont sophomore Melissa Eckman was named Pitcher of the Year. Averett utility player Kaitlyn Aherron was named Rookie of the Year and Salem's Sydney Vaughn was named Rookie Pitcher of the Year. Meredith's Kim Scavone was named Coach of the Year.
The complete All-Conference awards are listed below.
USASouth All-Conference Softball Awards
Player of the Year: Jessica Long, Averett
Pitcher of the Year: Melissa Eckman, Piedmont
Rookie of the Year: Kaitlyn Aherron, Averett
Rookie Pitcher of the Year: Sydney Vaughn, Salem
Coach of the Year: Kim Scavone, Meredith
First Team
1B - Heather McLean, William Peace
2B - Sam Bird, Mary Baldwin
3B - Lindsey Wiggins, William Peace
SS - Jessica Long, Averett
C - Emily Barrs, LaGrange
DP - Haley Ervin, Meredith
Util - Kaitlyn Aherron, Averett
OF - Samantha Hall, Averett
OF - Samara Miller, Huntingdon
OF - Sarah Watson, Meredith
P - Melissa Eckman, Piedmont
P - Sydney Vaughn, Salem
First-Team West Division
1B - Briana Crumley, Salem
2B - Allyson Gentry, Piedmont
3B - Jordan Brett, Covenant
SS - Jennifer Vitarelli, Salem
C - Emily Barrs, LaGrange
DP - Brianna Morris, Salem
Util - Katelin Richardson, LaGrange
OF - McKenzie Brunel, LaGrange
OF - Samara Miller, Huntingdon
OF - Hannah Ogle, Salem
P - Melissa Eckman, Piedmont
P - Sydney Vaughn, Salem
Second-Team West Division
1B - Hannah Hoban, Piedmont
3B - Morgan Brewer, Maryville
SS - Audrey Esakoff, Piedmont
C - Alexus Murray, Maryville
DP - Madyson Gibbins, Covenant
OF - Ashton Hayden, Maryville
OF - Breanna Herman, Salem
OF - Jenna Roberts, Maryville
P - Lauryn Smith, Salem
P - Sarah Walker, Piedmont
First-Team East Division
1B - Heather McLean, William Peace
2B - Sam Bird, Mary Baldwin
3B - Lindsey Wiggins, William Peace
SS - Jessica Long, Averett
C - Kaylee Johnson, Greensboro
DP - Haley Ervin, Meredith
Util - Kaitlyn Aherron, Averett
OF - Madison Crisco, Greensboro
OF - Samantha Hall, Averett
OF - Sarah Watson, Meredith
P - Taylor Jackson, Meredith
P - Maddy Wetherholt, Greensboro
Second-Team East Division
1B - Alicia Burns, N.C. Wesleyan
2B - Kali Puckett, Greensboro
3B - Hayley Rumley, Greensboro
SS - Jordan Criswell, William Peace
C - Jordan Hamlett, Ferrum
DP - Cassie Collins, Greensboro
Util - Ashton Lambeth, Ferrum
OF - Taylor Hodges, Averett
OF - Bailey Oakes, Ferrum
OF - Erica Occena, Meredith
P - Shelby Godwin, N.C. Wesleyan
P - Courtney Rudd, Ferrum
All-Sportsmanship
Katie Bender, Agnes Scott
Taylor Hodges, Averett
Hannah Talley, Covenant
Marieka Pierce, Ferrum
Kaylee Johnson, Greensboro
Samara Miller, Huntingdon
Adrienne Little, LaGrange
Dana Cromer, Mary Baldwin
Jessica McMahan, Maryville
Charley Cox, Meredith
Savannah Dunn, Methodist
Abigail Leonard, N.C. Wesleyan
Rayven Lawrence, Piedmont
Katie Bilbrey, Salem
Quanetria "MJ" Jackson, Wesleyan
Katelyn McLamb, William Peace