ROCK HILL, S.C. --- Tusculum sophomore outfielder Delaney Guerrero has been named first-team All-South Atlantic Conference in voting by the league's 11 head coach, the conference office announced Wednesday.
Junior outfielder Taylor Battle was an honorable mention selection for the Pioneers, who finished the season with an overall record of 24-25 and a 6-14 mark in conference games.
Guerrero finished fourth in the conference in batting average with a .421 mark, and was second in the league with 67 hits. Guerrero had 12 doubles, two triples and two home runs and drove in 28 runs, while finishing with a .440 on-base percentage and a .560 slugging percentage.
The Elgin, South Carolina native started all 49 games for the Pioneers, leading the team with 21 multi-hit games including six three-hit games. She hit .397 in 20 conference games, and committed just two errors in 73 chances in her first season as Tusculum's starting rightfielder. In two seasons at Tusculum, Guerrero is a .356 hitter with 103 hits, two home runs and 40 runs batted in to go along with 53 runs scored and six stolen bases.
Battle started all 49 games in left field for the Pioneers and hit .355 with one home run and 24 runs batted in. Battle won the SAC statistical championship in triples per game (0.16) after she led the SAC with eight triples, and was eighth in the conference with 61 hits. The Chattanooga, Tennessee native led the Pioneers and tied for 11th in the conference with 35 runs scored, and tied for ninth in the SAC with a team-high 12 stolen bases.
Battle had 19 multi-hit games to rank second on the team to Guerrero, and had two of the Pioneers' four four-hit games for the season. In 20 conference games, Battle hit .301 with six runs batted in and six stolen bases. In addition to her hitting, Battle was one of the top outfielders in the conference as she finished with just one error in 100 chances, including 40 without an error in SAC action.
Through her first three seasons with the Pioneers, Battle is a .289 hitter with 129 hits, 11 triples and three home runs along with 36 runs batted in. Her 50 career stolen bases are the third-most in program history, while her 11 triples are tied for eighth on the school career list.
Lenoir-Rhyne swept three of the four major individual awards, as Emily Kenley was Pitcher of the Year, Kylee Leonhardt was selected Freshman of the Year and Shena Hollar was voted Coach of the Year. Conference Player of the Year honors went to Carson-Newman pitcher/outfielder Lacie Rinus. Tusculum claimed the team statistical championship in triples per game (0.33) after collecting 16 three-base hits in 49 games.
2018 South Atlantic Confence Softball All-Conference
1st 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
2nd 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 Mention
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
