Honor roll
Softball
Melissa Dickie, Buford: No-hitter in 9-0 win over Lovett on Tuesday.
Karly Fullem, Buford: Eight strikeouts in 5-0 win over Blessed Trinity on Monday; pitched seventh complete game and fourth shutout of the year in 6-0 win over Lovett on Saturday.
Lexi Overstreet, Buford: Went 5-for-7 with two doubles, a triple, five RBIs and three runs scored in three games of the Region 6-AA tournament.
Rachel Duden, Flowery Branch: Went 3-for-3 with a walk and RBI in 7-2 loss to West Forsyth on Wednesday.
Kara Perry, Jefferson: Struck out eight in 4-0 win over East Jackson on Thursday.
Jordyn Whitfield, Jefferson: Went 3-for-4 with two RBIs and three runs scored in Tuesday’s 10-0 win over Rabun County.
Megan Rogers, North Hall: No-hitter with six strikeouts in 8-0 win over Lambert on Wednesday; 11 strikeouts in 1-0 win over Pickens on Thursday.
Danielle Newbern, North Hall: Hit a home run in 8-0 win over Lambert on Wednesday.
Miranda Miller, West Hall: One-hit shutout and drove in game-winning run in Tuesday’s 1-0 win over North Hall.
Madison Strickland: Hit game-winning single on Monday against Lumpkin County; had a double, triple and two RBIs in win over Gilmer on Wednesday.
Stephanie Satterfield, White County: Won 11th game of the year and went 2-for-3 with two RBIs and two runs scored in 7-1 win over Gainesville on Monday.
Cross country
Kenny Slavik, Flowery Branch: Set new school record of 16:25 and finished first at the Wendy’s Invitational on Saturday in Charlotte, N.C.
Kiera Woods-McCue, Flowery Branch: Set new school girls record of 18:19 and placed second at the Wendy’s Invitational on Saturday in Charlotte, N.C.
Ty McCormack, North Hall: Finished first with a time of 15:14 at the Asics/Alexander Meet in Whitesburg.
Volleyball
Mary Fiorentino, Johnson: 13 kills, 21 digs against North Hall and Flowery Branch on Tuesday.
Kathryn Bell, North Hall: 17 assists, four aces and six kills against Johnson and Flowery Branch on Tuesday.
Lauren Gregory, North Hall: 12 kills and 12 digs against Johnson and Flowery Branch on Tuesday.
When she heard the news that the start of the Region 7-AAA softball tournament was postponed until today, West Hall High senior Emily Hammond wasn’t very happy.
The reason is simple when you look at what she accomplished last week for the Lady Spartans (18-10).
It all started Monday, when she pitched a one-hitter and struck out nine batters in a 1-0 win over Lumpkin County. With the ball handed to sophomore Miranda Miller on Tuesday against North Hall, Hammond helped her team win with her defense and offense by coming around to score the game’s only run after hitting a one-out single in the third inning.
Back in the pitcher’s circle for the final game of the regular season Wednesday, the ace of West Hall’s staff struck out 12 in a 7-1 win over Gilmer.
“She’s had a great year and in the past week has really stepped it up,” West Hall coach Warren Sellers said of Hammond. “Her confidence is pretty high right now.”
Hammond credits Miller for her success in the circle.
“I help her and she helps me,” Hammond said.
Her teammates that hit behind her in the order are also a reason for Hammond’s success as the team’s leadoff hitter.
“Every time I get on base I pretty much do score,” Hammond said.
That’s one of the reasons why she hits in the No. 1 spot.
“The main objective for the leadoff hitter is to get on base, and she’s been doing that a lot lately,” Sellers said. “She’s fast and a very aggressive base runner.
“It’s like the saying says, ‘get ‘em on, get ‘em over and get ‘em in,’” he added. “If she can take care of the first part, then we feel pretty confident in the people behind her to handle the other parts.”
With Madison Strickland, Bailey Soucie and Miller following her in the order, Hammond knows her job is to simply get on base.
“I’m not supposed to hit home runs,” she said. “You gotta think of putting the ball in play and think more of how I can get on.”
That mentality will come into play today when the region tournament finally gets under way, and for Hammond, finishing in the top four of the region and reaching the state tournament is extremely important.
“That would mean the world for me,” she said. “If that happens, me and Bailey would be the only people at West Hall to go to state all four years and that’s been our goal since Day 1 of practice.”