Fayetteville, N.C. – The USA South Athletic Conference office has announced the softball award winners for the 2015 season with five Lady Lions earning All-Conference selections and highlighted by Jessica Bagwell’s selection as the league’s Rookie of the Year. Abby Smith was the lone Lady Lion to earn first team All-Conference honors with Bagwell, Laura Carter and Sarah Walker all earning second team honors and Whitney Wolfe earning honorable mention.
Bagwell’s Rookie of the Year award comes following a season where the freshman catcher earned Rookie of the Week honors once as one of three freshmen to do so under Coach Terry Martin this season as part of a strong freshman class. Bagwell ended the regular season batting .371, the best of any underclassman on the roster, and was second on the team in RBI tied with Whitney Wolfe.
The Rookie of the Year and second team All-Conference selection provided some thrilling moments in the Green and Gold this season including a pair of home runs and a walk-off hit against LaGrange in a 3-2 victory for Piedmont. Bagwell’s home runs came against Ferrum and Methodist with her blast against the Monarchs coming as a three-run shot over right-center in front of the faithful at Walker Athletic Complex.
The hot-corner specialist at third base, Abby Smith, takes USA South first team honors for the second season as she was the only selection from the Lady Lions to earn first team All-Conference honors. Smith led the team with a .463 batting average this season improving on her impressive .406 average through the regular season a year ago.
Smith leads the team in nearly every category with a team best batting average (.463), runs scored (24), hits (44), doubles (10), triples (5), home runs (3), RBI (27), slugging percentage (.768), on base percentage (.500), and stolen bases (13). Smith hit the first home run of the season against Birmingham Southern in the opener as one of the deciding factors in a 5-4 victory for Piedmont.
Center fielder Laura Carter was named to the second team All-Conference listing marking her second straight year making the cut on the year-end awards listing. Carter posted a .367 batting average and tied for second on the team in runs scored with Allyson Gentry with 22 while coming in second in hits with 33 behind only Smith.
Carter tied with Smith for doubles on the team with 10 two baggers this season and had 15 RBI for the Green and Gold. In the outfield, the junior proved to be a staple as she posted a .982 fielding percentage and only committed a single error all season.
Rounding out the second-team honorees for the Lady Lions is pitcher Sarah Walker who compiled a 12-8 record with 13 complete games in 19 starts and 27 appearances. Walker led the pitching staff with a 2.68 ERA through an impressive 125.1 innings pitched.
Walker accounted for an astounding near 70% of the Lady Lions innings this season while striking out 71 batters. Through the massive amount of innings pitched, Walker displayed precision and accuracy both from a starting role and as a reliever.
The final Lady Lion earning recognition was shortstop Whitney Wolfe taking honorable mention, marking her first USA South All-Conference selection. Wolfe was second on the team in batting average as the senior leader hit .390 this season with 17 RBI, tied for second best on the club.
Wolfe earned USA South Player of the Week after an impressive showing against Meredith and N.C. Wesleyan as she went a combined 8-for-9 over a 3-1 week for the Lady Lions, good for an .889 batting average over the week and a .923 on base percentage. Wolfe also earned the nod as the Sportsmanship award winner for Piedmont in the 2015 season.
Piedmont ended the regular season with a 16-12 record and 13-11 in league play. The Lady Lions begin action in the USA South tournament championship on Friday, April 17 at 11:00 a.m. as they take on William Peace University in Rocky Mount, North Carolina.
