Lady Eagles Land Four on Hickory Regional All-Tournament Team

May 12, 2009

HICKORY, N.C. - Carson-Newman first baseman Sarah Little (Calhoun, Ga.) has been named the Most Outstanding Player of the NCAA Division II Softball Hickory Regional, the NCAA announced Tuesday.

Little joins three other Lady Eagles on the all-tournament team after C-N swept the regional with three-straight wins, including two in extra innings. She batted .500 for the weekend, finishing 7-for-14 at the plate. The junior drove in runs on all seven hits.

The Calhoun, Ga. native saved her best for the weekend's biggest moment, belting the game-winning home run in a 2-1 regional final win against Lenoir-Rhyne on Sunday.

Shortstop Jessie Howard (Knoxville, Tenn.), pitcher Stephanie Templeton (Ringgold, Ga.) and outfielder Whitney Durham (Rossville, Ga.) all earned spots alongside Little.

Howard batted .308 on the weekend with a double and a triple. She also drew a walk.

Templeton went 5-for-10 on the weekend with two doubles and two RBIs. She finished the weekend with a .643 on-base percentage after drawing two walks and twice getting hit by a pitch.

Durham hit just .222 for the weekend, but led the team with three runs scored. She also had two RBIs.

C-N only outscored its opponents 14-10 in the three wins. The Lady Eagles helped themselves by turning in an error-free weekend in the field.

Georgia College & State University also had four players selected while host school Lenoir-Rhyne University placed three players on the team. USC Aiken rounded out the field with two all-tournament honorees.

C-N opens its NCAA Division II Super Regional series with North Georgia College and State on Friday night in Dahlonega, Ga. at 7 p.m.

2009 D-II NCAA Softball Tournament
Hickory Regional All-Tournament Team
Pitcher: Stephanie Templeton, Carson-Newman
Pitcher: Mandy Chandler, Georgia College and State
Catcher: Jessica Strickland, USC Aiken
Infield: Sarah Little, Carson-Newman
Infield: Jessie Howard, Carson-Newman
Infield: Kat Rivers, Lenoir-Rhyne
Infield: Tonya Medders, Georgia College and State
Outfield: Whitney Durham, Carson-Newman
Outfield: Erin Evans, Lenoir-Rhyne
Outfield: Sherquita Bostick, Georgia College and State
Designated Player: Kayla Smith, Georgia College and State
At-Large: Noel Belk, Lenoir-Rhyne
At-Large: Toni Flessate, USC Aiken
Most Outstanding Player: Sarah Little, Carson-Newman