Rock Hill, S.C.----The Wingate University Bulldogs had four players earn league honors Wednesday morning when the South Atlantic Conference announced the regular season softball awards. Heaven Maness and Sydney Kale are firs team All-SAC selections, with Sara Stroud and Hali Scott earning third team accolades.

Maness earns first team All-SAC honors for the second time in as many years. The 2021 SAC Freshman of the Year is hitting .361 this season, piling up a team-best 12 doubles to go along with three triples and nine homers, driving in 40 runs and scoring 41 times. Maness has also stolen 20 bases in 20 attempts, while playing nearly flawless defense at third base. The sophomore ranks fourth in the SAC in total bases, sixth in triples, seventh in hits, 11th in runs, 12th in homers, 13th in RBI and 15th in slugging percentage. Maness has a team-best 16 multi-hit games, while driving in multiple runs 10 times.

Kale picks up first team All-SAC accolades for the first time in her career, earning the honor at the Utility/Pitcher spot. The sophomore leads the 'Dogs with a .396 average, compiling 10 doubles and four homers while driving in 20 runs and scoring 20 times. Kale also has 10 wins in the circle, piling up 125 strikeouts in 113 innings of work with a 2.97 ERA, adding a pair of saves. She leads the SAC and ranks second in the nation in strikeout-to-walk ratio, striking out 125 while walking just 10. As a pitcher she is third in the SAC in saves, seventh in strikeouts, 10th in ERA, 11th in innings pitched and 12th in wins. As a hitter Kale is seventh in the league in on-base percentage and ninth in batting average.

Stroud picked up league honors for the first time in her career. The sophomore is hitting .309 on the year, piling up a team-best 11 homers to go along with five doubles and six triples, driving in 20 runs while scoring 56 times. Stroud has 29 stolen bases on the year, while leading the team with her .644 slugging percentage. She leads the SAC in triples, ranking second in runs scored, fourth in stolen bases, fifth in homers, ninth in total baes and 12th in slugging percentage. Stroud ranks eighth nationally in runs scored and 12th in triples.

Scott picks up all-conference accolades at the Utility/Pitcher spot in her first season at Wingate. The freshman is hitting .293 on the year with five homers and 16 RBI, scoring 15 runs while posting a .586 slugging percentage. Scott has made 21 appearances in the circle with 11 starts, going 9-4 with a 3.91 ERA and a save. She has struck out 72 in 71 2/3 innings of work, while opponents are hitting just .193 against her.

The Bulldogs are the number three seed in this week's SAC Tournament, which gets underway Friday in Harrogate, Tenn. Wingate will face Carson-Newman at 6:30 p.m. on Friday. The winner advances to Saturday's semifinals to take on the LR vs. Tusculum winner at 1:30 p.m. The championship game is slated for 4:30 p.m. Saturday.

2022 SAC Softball All-Conference 
 
All-SAC First Team
OF – Savannah Moorefield, Lenoir-Rhyne
OF – Natalie Corbin, Carson-Newman
OF – Madison Henry, Lincoln Memorial
1B – Kayson Boatner, Anderson
2B – Emily Harris, Carson-Newman
SS – Leah Sohm, Carson-Newman
3B – Heaven Maness, Wingate
DP – Maddie Carpenter, Anderson
UTL/Non-P – Hannah Towery, Newberry
UTL/P - Sydney Kale, Wingate
C – Kylee Leonhardt, Lenoir-Rhyne
P – Laken Maxwell, Anderson
P – Lauren Rakes, Lenoir-Rhyne
 
All-SAC Second Team
OF – Mary Vandergriff, Carson-Newman
OF – Cassidy Wall, Lenoir-Rhyne
OF – Mallena Wright, Newberry
1B – Macey Hughes, Carson-Newman
2B – Julia Mardigian, Lenoir-Rhyne
SS – Hannah Whitaker, Anderson
3B – Hannah Jennings, Lenoir-Rhyne
DP – Anna Alloway, Tusculum
UTL/Non-P – Ashley Parnell, Limestone
UTL/P - Emily Sappington, Tusculum
C – Mackenzie Turner, Newberry
P – Emma Frost, Lincoln Memorial
P – Harlie Duncan, Anderson
 
All-SAC Third Team
OF – Olivia Rose Wheeler, Anderson
OF – Mya Maddox, Tusculum
OF – SieAnna Cameron, Carson-Newman
1B – Sierra Brogdon, Newberry
2B – Sara Stroud, Wingate
SS – Kayla Smith, Queens
3B – Jordyn Thompson, Queens
DP – Carmen Holt, Carson-Newman
UTL/Non-P – Farley Park, Mars Hill
UTL/P - Hali Scott, Wingate
C – McKenzie Henry, Lincoln Memorial
P – Morgan Beeler, Lenoir-Rhyne
P – Jordan Dunn, Queens
 
Freshman of the Year
Cassidy Wall, Lenoir-Rhyne
 
Player of the Year
Kayson Boatner, Anderson
 
Pitcher of the Year
Laken Maxwell, Anderson
 
Coach of the Year
Tommy Hewitt, Anderson