ROCK HILL, S.C. --- A program-record four Pioneers were named to the 2024 edition of the South Atlantic Conference all-league teams. Tusculum University softball has had at least one player named to an all-conference dating back to 2011 (with the COVID year not included).
Claire Smeltzer was named to the first team as an outfielder, Danielle Jason was tabbed to the second team as a designated player, and Ellie Alvarez and Emily Sappington earned their way on to the third team as shortstop and utility/pitcher, respectively.
As a team, Tusculum was the SAC statistical champion in stolen bases per game (1.63).
Smeltzer, a native of Smithfield, Virginia, has been the primary threat at the plate for the Pioneers. The senior is averaging .410 with a .475 on-base percentage and slugging .667. She leads the lineup in hits (64), RBI (49), and doubles (15), while adding 37 runs, two triples, seven homers, and 20 walks for 104 total bases. Smeltzer had 18 multi-hit games and team-best 15 multi-RBI contests. Her nine-game hitting streak is tied for the team's longest, while she had an on-base streak of 18 games at her highest. In the field, Smeltzer has four outfield assists, aiding in a pair of double plays.
Jason, a graduate student from Olyphant, Pennsylvania, leads Tusculum with a .419 batting average. She has been a prolific base stealer, ranking first in the conference in percentage (0.885) and second in both total (23) and per game rate (0.50). Jason has recorded 54 hits, including six for extra bases as a slapper, adding 37 runs, 13 RBI, and 13 walks. She tied Smeltzer with her 18 multi-hit games and has the third-longest hitting streak (8) on the season. The designated player is also tied for the team lead with five sacrifice bunts.
Alvarez, a Plano, Illinois resident, has the team's second-highest average at .413 and is also tied for second with 59 hits. The sophomore shortstop has totaled 21 extra base hits, including nine home runs. In addition, Alvarez is second with 39 runs scored and 11 doubles as well. She has collected 28 RBI, 10 walks, 13 steals, three sacrifice flies, and four sacrifice bunts. Alvarez has 16 multi-hit games with a high of nine-straight contests. In the field, she has a .954 fielding percentage, aiding in nine double plays.
Sappington, of Ashburn, Va., is one of the best pitchers in the program's history, while also aiding the cause at the plate. She is tied for the league lead in complete games (15), and is second with 9.3 strikeouts per seven innings (14th nationally), 172 strikeouts (24th nationally), and three saves (32nd nationally). Sappington has recently recorded her 600th career strikeout, the most in program history. She has a career-best 13-5 record. The left-hander has the second-lowest ERA of her time with a 2.33, allowing only 43 earned runs across 129.1 innings of work. At the plate, Sappington is maintaining a .333 average with 15 hits, including two for extra bases, alongside eight runs batted in and eight walks.
The Pioneers finished the regular season with a 29-20 (15-9 SAC) record and are on the cusp of the first 30-win campaign in a decade. TU has collected 20+ wins in 13-straight campaigns, excluding the shortened COVID season. This spans the entirety of head coach Julie Huebner's tenure as well.
Tusculum faces nationally-ranked Lenoir-Rhyne in the SAC Championship opening round on Friday (Apr. 26) at 3:30 p.m.
2024 SAC Softball All-Conference
All-SAC First Team
OF – Kaylee Hobgood, Wingate
OF – Brianna Gallagher, Catawba
OF – Claire Smeltzer, Tusculum
1B – Kary Hales, Catawba
2B – Savanna Brooks, Wingate
SS – Hayden Dye, Carson-Newman
3B – Brooke Matyasovsky, Carson-Newman
DP – Carson Hobbs, Anderson
UTL/Non-P – Macey Hughes, Carson-Newman
UTL/P – Sydney Kale, Wingate
C – Lani Warren, Lenoir-Rhyne
P – Laken Maxwell, Anderson
P – Raechel Cutcher, Wingate
All-SAC Second Team
OF – Maddie Carpenter, Anderson
OF – Shelby Bandt, Anderson
OF – Kelsi Scott, Coker
1B – Sierra Brogdon, Newberry
2B – Julia Mardigian, Lenoir-Rhyne
SS – Katelyn Rackard, Lenoir-Rhyne
3B – Riley Tucker, Catawba
DP – Danielle Jason, Tusculum
UTL/Non-P – Danielle King, Emory & Henry
UTL/P – Lauren Rakes, Lenoir-Rhyne
C – Macauley Bailey, Carson-Newman
P – Emma Frost, Carson-Newman
P – Madison Wilson, Lenoir-Rhyne
All-SAC Third Team
OF – Madison Henry, Lincoln Memorial
OF – Vanessa Wilson, Newberry
OF – Leah Grimes, Mars Hill
1B – Lora Beth Wood, Lenoir-Rhyne
2B – Reese Vivrette, Lincoln Memorial
SS – Ellie Alvarez, Tusculum
3B – Hailey Hill, Newberry
DP – Cassidy Phelps, Newberry
UTL/Non-P – Hannah Bogoski, Lincoln Memorial
UTL/P – Emily Sappington, Tusculum
C – Maia Sholter, Mars Hill
P – Hali Scott, Wingate
P – Lex Glemaker, Newberry
Freshman of the Year
Paige Vickery, Anderson
Player of the Year
Savanna Brooks, Wingate
Pitcher of the Year
Laken Maxwell, Anderson
Coach of the Year
Jamie Stanclift, Wingate
SAC Statistical Champions
Team Batting Average – Carson-Newman (.337)
Team Slugging Percentage – Lenoir-Rhyne (.564)
Team On-Base Percentage – Lincoln Memorial (.446)
Team Runs Scored – Lenoir-Rhyne (336)
Team Home Runs Per Game – Lenoir-Rhyne (1.38)
Team Triples Per Game – Lincoln Memorial (0.30)
Team Doubles Per Game – Carson-Newman (1.83)
Team Stolen Bases Per Game – Tusculum (1.63)
Team ERA – Wingate (2.07)
Team Strikeout-to-Walk Ratio – Anderson (4.11)
Batting Average – Reese Vivrette, Lincoln Memorial (.476)
On-Base Percentage – Reese Vivrette, Lincoln Memorial (.601)
Slugging Percentage – Hayden Dye, Carson-Newman (.803)
Home Runs Per Game – Macauley Bailey, Carson-Newman (0.36)
RBIs Per Game – Macauley Bailey, Carson-Newman (1.40)
Runs Scored Per Game – Macey Hughes, Carson-Newman (1.22)
Triples Per Game – Adyson Gibson, UVA Wise (0.11)
Doubles Per Game – Julia Mardigian, Lenoir-Rhyne (0.44)
Stolen Bases Per Game – Kaylee Hobgood, Wingate (0.51)
ERA – Raechel Cutcher, Wingate (1.49)
Strikeouts Per Seven Innings – Laken Maxwell, Anderson (12.1)
Pitching Victories – Raechel Cutcher, Wingate (29)
