Winston-Salem, NC-The Salem College softball team finished their 2017 season with a USA South West Division Regular Season Co-Championship in their first season in the conference. The Spirits finished with a 27-16 overall record and a 16-6 conference record.
Head Coach Scott Long said, "finishing as co-champions of the West Division, after being picked to finish fourth, was a big accomplishment for us. It's a testimony to the ladies and all of the hard work they put in throughout the season.We are a young team, and despite our inexperience, we accomplished many things this spring."
The Spirits ended up tied for first with Piedmont during the regular season. They swept LaGrange in the first round of the USA South Tournament. In Georgia, the Spirits fell to Ferrum and Maryville to be eliminated from the tournament.
"I'm proud that we had five west division first team all conference players and two on the second team. Their resiliency and perseverance when things got tough is what won us a lot of close games in the end," said Coach Long.
Sydney Vaughn earned USA South Rookie Pitcher of the Year honors and First Team All USA South honors in her first season on the mound for the Spirits. Briana Crumley finished fourth overall in the conference with a .455 batting average, second with 45 runs batted in, and fourth with 7 home runs.
Coach Long said, "we also could not have had the success that we had without the help of my amazing coaching staff. I'm proud of all that we accomplished in our first year of being in the USA South, and I'm looking forward to the future with this group of talented ladies."
USA South Rookie Pitcher of the Year: Sydney Vaughn
USA South First Team All Conference: Sydney Vaughn
USA South First Team All-West Division: Sydney Vaughn, Briana Crumley, Jennifer Vitarelli, Brianna Morris, Hannah Ogle
USA South Second Team All-West Division: Lauryn Smith and Breanna Herman
USA South All-Sportsmanship Team: Katie Bilbrey
USA South Rookie Pitcher of the Week: Sydney Vaughn
USA South Rookie of the Week: Amanda Dacunto
USA South Player of the Week: Briana Crumley