Three Lady Eagles Earn Daktronics All-Southeast Region Honors

May 13, 2009

JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. - Three Carson-Newman Lady Eagles have been named to the Daktronics Softball All-Southeast Region team, officials announced Tuesday.

Junior Jessie Howard (Knoxville, Tenn.) grabbed the first-team spot at shortstop, while pitcher Stephanie Templeton (Ringgold, Ga.) and first baseman Sarah Little (Calhoun, Ga.) were named to the second team.

Howard in batting .382 for the year and has stolen 24 bases in 26 attempts. The Knoxville, Tenn. native has been named to both the All-South Atlantic Conference Tournament team and the All-Hickory Regional team since leading the Lady Eagles to seven-straight postseason wins. She was named NFCA First Team All-American last season.

Templeton has been the key factor in the C-N's late season success. The junior is 11-1 in her last 13 starts and earned SAC Tournament MVP honors in late April. She has six complete games in the postseason, and has allowed four hits or less in three of the wins.

The Ringgold, Ga. native missed much of the season with an eye injury, but has led the Lady Eagles to a 16-3 record since her return.

Little leads the SAC with 12 home runs and is batting .357 for the year. Her late season surge, batting .393 with 12 RBIs in seven games, has lifted C-N to almost six runs per game in the postseason.

The junior delivered a pair of RBI singles to clinch the SAC Tournament title in a 2-0 win against Wingate. She followed with RBIs on all seven of her hits during the Hickory Regional, including a game-winning solo home run in a 2-1 win over Lenoir-Rhyne in the regional final.

Carson-Newman is 32-15 on the season, and opens play in the NCAA D-II Southeast Super Regional on Friday night against North Georgia in Dahlonega, Ga. First pitch is at 7 p.m.

2009 Daktronics Softball All-Southeast Region Team
Pitcher of the Year - Sarah Phillips, North Georgia
Player of the Year - Sherquita Bostick, Georgia College

First Team Catcher - Jessica Strickland, USC Aiken
First Base - Ashley Seawell, Mars Hill
Second Base - Kat Hammond, Newberry
Third Base - Katie Knapp, Erskine
Shortstop - Jessie Howard, Carson-Newman
Utility - Debra Grijalva, Wingate
Designated Player - Leslee Smith, North Georgia
OF - Sherquita Bostick, Georgia College
OF - Courtney McGuire, North Georgia
OF - Jasmine Dobbin, St. Andrews Presbyterian
Pitchers - Sarah Phillips, North Georgia
Pitchers - Toni Flessate, USC Aiken
Pitchers - Mandy Chandler, Georgia College

Second Team
Catcher - Sarah Atkins, Lenoir-Rhyne
First Base - Sarah Little, Carson-Newman
Second Base - Allie Marshall, Catawba
Third Base - Hallie Pettigrew, Wingate
Shortstop - Ashley Harber, Mars Hill
Utility - Noel Belk, Lenoir-Rhyne
Designated Player - Amanda Huckstein, Newberry
OF - LaRonda McClain, Wingate
OF - Jessica McFadden, Barton
OF - Pilar Harden, North Georgia
Pitchers - Amanda Huckestein, Newberry
Pitchers - Brittany Blankenship, Wingate
Pitchers - Michaela Wolf, Francis Marion
Pitchers - Stephanie Templeton, Carson-Newman