Vikettes lead All-Region team

Published 4:20 am Thursday, November 4, 2010

Lowndes High pitcher Ashley Chapman pitches against Kennesaw Mountain in the second round of the state playoffs. Chapman was named the Region 1-AAAAA Player of the Year.

Lowndes High’s softball team dominated Region 1-AAAAA this season. So it should come as no surprise that the Vikettes are well represented on the All-Region team.

Nine Lowndes players made the All-Region team this year, including Region Player of the Year Ashley Chapman, and five Vikettes were named to the first team.

“I’m happy for these girls. They are all very deserving,” Lowndes head coach Alex Gray said.

Chapman had a dominant year in the circle. The junior pitcher went 16-4 with a 1.85 earned run average. She threw five shutouts. She struck out 125 batters in 121.1 innings pitched, and opponents batted just .144 against her. Her 16 wins was the second-most for a Lowndes pitcher in a season. In the first round of the state playoffs, Chapman threw a no-hitter and hit a home run in the same game.

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Four more Vikettes joined Chapman on the first team.

Lowndes shortstop Keri Tompkins had a monster year at the plate. Tompkins broke the school’s single-season record with 10 home runs. She batted .423 and drove in a school-record 40 runs. She had an .814 slugging percentage.

Center fielder Brittany Britt batted .391 with four home runs and 25 RBIs. She stole 13 bases, and had a .667 slugging percentage.

Right fielder Amanda Newham batted .365 and drove in nine runs. She also had 16 stolen bases, which was the second-most by a Lowndes player in a season.

First baseman Brooklyn Cauthen batted .358 this season, and drove in 18 runs while batting cleanup for most of the season for Lowndes.

Also making the first team was Valdosta catcher Bridgette Walker. Walker batted .325 for the Lady Wildcats, and had a .460 on-base percentage.

The other players named to the first team were Taylor Owens, Hannah Hancock, Meagan May and Ainsley Davis of Colquitt County, Ashlyn Jones of Tift County and Hannah Batten and Drea Broomfield of Coffee.

Gray was named the Region Coach of the Year, after leading the Vikettes to a perfect 8-0 region record. Lowndes went 24-8 this season, made it to the state Elite Eight and finished the season ranked eighth in Class AAAAA.

Lowndes had two more players named to the second team. Second baseman Alli Coulter batted .292 with two home runs and 14 RBIs, and also had three triples. Left fielder Courtney Steedley hit .318 and drove in 10 runs.

Lowndes third baseman Logan Cooper and catcher Randi Smith were honorable mention All-Region selections. Cooper batted .278 with 11 RBIs. Smith hit .288 with one homer and 15 RBIs.

Valdosta pitcher/catcher Sylvia Sadler was a second-team selection. Sadler batted .333 for the Lady Wildcats, and had a .393 on-base percentage.

Valdosta shortstop Alexis Roland and left fielder Rosie Yelito were honorable mention selections. Both of them batted .250 this season. Roland had a .371 on-base percentage, while Yelito’s on-base percentage was .316.

“I’m very proud of all these girls,” Valdosta head coach Adam Haire said about his All-Region selections. “To be represented on all three teams is great.”

The other second-team selections were Logan Little, Karli Smith    and Chelle McKellar of Tift County and Darian Sears and Tori Bates of Coffee. AnnaLaura Beason of Colquitt County, Trayana Dowdy and Taylor Simmons of Tift County and Heather Thompson and Kelsie Kirkland of Coffee were honorable mention choices.

The All-Region team was selected by the region’s coaches.