From staff reportsBelmont Abbey catcher Mackenzie Sprinkle (East Rowan) batted .336 with four homers and a team-high 38 RBIs in 40 games and was named second team All-Conference Carolinas.

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UNC Wilmington’s Mary Sobataka (West Rowan) hit the third grand slam of her career as the Seahawks pummeled Drexel 9-1.

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Mckenzie Misenheimer (East Rowan) finished her freshman season at Chowan with a .292 batting average. She led the Hawks with 29 runs scored.

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Catawba (26-19) ended a strong season in the South Atlantic Conference Tournament.

Lenoir-Rhyne’s Anna Blume

The sixth-seeded Indians lost 8-6 to third-seeded Lincoln Memorial, pounded seventh-seeded Limestone 12-3, and closed the season with a 6-5 loss to second-seeded and 18th-ranked Lenoir-Rhyne despite homers by Riley Tucker, Kary Hales (Carson) and Brianna Gallagher. Anna Blume (South Rowan) socked a two-run homer, her third blast of the season, in that game for the Bears.

The return of Tucker, who starred at Central Cabarrus, was a big reason Catawba was able to turn things around after a five-win 2022 season. She was second team All-SAC and was the conference’s leading hitter at .468. She helped the pitching staff and was a devastating hitter with 12 homers, 16 doubles and 46 RBIs.

Freshman Alex Baquie, Catawba’s primary pitcher, won 17 games and was third team All-SAC.

Gallagher, Catawba’s freshman shortstop. was third team All-SAC. She finished with a flurry in the SAC tourney and  had nine homers, 46 RBIs and a .420 batting average. In the tournament romp against Limestone, she belted a grand slam and a three-run homer.

Freshman Molly Strider swatted 10 homers and batted .342.

Hales ended her sophomore season with three homers, 34 RBIs and a .347 batting average.