ROCKINGHAM — Similar to its regular-season conference run, the Richmond Senior softball team dominated the 2017 All-Southeastern Conference selections that were released a couple of days ago.
Owen Bowers, NaLee Jacobs and Savannah Lampley represented the Lady Raiders for the second year in a row, while Makenzie Ward and Greyson Way made the squad for the first time in their respective careers.
Richmond head coach Wendy Wallace, who eclipsed the 200-career-win mark late in the season, was named SEC Coach of the Year for the third time in as many years. She led the program to a 25-6 overall record, an undefeated mark in conference and its first-ever appearance in the Western Regional Finals.
Wallace has accumlated 67 wins over the past three seasons.
“I’m just lucky that I have girls that practice hard and play hard. They make my job easy,” Wallace said. “My coaching staff and I are blessed to have girls that come out and already know how to play the game at a high level.”
Bowers finished her junior season with 42 hits, nine home runs and a .452 batting average — all good enough for second best on the team. Her nine homers currently ties Hopewell’s Sydney Backstrom for fourth place in the state for 4A softball.
Jacobs, a senior pitcher, earned 12 wins in the circle with a 2.10 earned run average. The three-time All-SEC selection also racked up 32 hits, 18 RBI, seven doubles and three home runs.
Lampley led Richmond in multiple categories as a sophomore, as her .514 batteing average, 54 hits, 16 doubles and 16 stolen bases all sit at the top of the team’s list.
Ward’s first selection comes after the senior won 13 games, which was highlighted by the no-hitter she threw against North Mecklenburg in the first round of the state playoffs. She pitched over 120 innings and earned 109 strikeouts.
Way recorded 15 home runs in her second year, which currently leads the state for most home runs in the 4A classification. The sophomore slugger recorded 32 hits, six doubles and 37 RBI — which tied Bowers for the most on the team.
“All of them are very deserving,” Wallace added.
Pinecrest’s Jordan Blake and Lumberton’s Morgan Britt shared the conference’s Player of the Year award.
Blake was joined by teammates Alyssa Drake, Katelyn Chisolm and Hailey Sales on this year’s All-SEC team. Britt shared her all-conference selection with Lady Pirates Madison Canady, Katie Kinlaw, LeeAnn Nobles and Kasey West.
Hoke County saw four players make all-conference in Alexis Blackwell, Caitlin Crenshaw, Autumn Hardin and Cayleigh Norton. Both Scotland (Macie Gibson, Katie Lighthall) and Purnell Swett (JaiLeana Deese, Kaitlyn Hunt) placed two on the squad.
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Sophomore Savannah Lampley was one of five Richmond Senior softball players to be named to the 2017 All-Southeastern Conference team after batting .514 and recording a team-high 54 hits, 16 doubles and 16 stolen bases. Owen Bowers, NaLee Jacobs, Makenzie Ward and Greyson Way were also selected to the all-conference team.