Saluda has historic softball season

Saluda – Head coach Hannah Towery knows of no other way to describe the just completed season for her Saluda High School softball team.

“This season was one to remember,” said Towery, whose squad finished with a 22-7 record, won the Region 2-AA title and its district tournament to advance to the Upper State tournament. “We made history for Saluda softball.”

The history made wasn’t winning district and advancing to the 4-team, double-elimination Upper State tournament. Instead, it was winning a game in the Upper State tournament. The Tigers blanked Chesnee 4-0 in in their opening game before falling to eventual state champion Gray Collegiate Academy 12-1 and Strom Thurmond 5-1.

Saluda had five players named to the All-Region team led by senior pitcher Samantha Minick. She was selected as the Region Player of the Year and was named to the South Carolina Association of Women’s Sports AA All-State team for the second straight year. The Newberry College signee was also selected to play in the North-South All-Star Series.

Joining Minnick on the All-Region team were centerfielder Tamia Daniels, third baseman Jayme Sheaffer, catcher Jana Pou and first baseman Ella Gentry.

Minnick threw 119 1/3 innings in the circle and finished with 138 strikeouts while walking just 26. She had a 1.76 earned run average. At the plate, Minnick batted .278 with two doubles, a triple, a home run and nine runs batted in.

 Sheaffer led the team in hitting with a .377 average. She also had five doubles, three homers, 23 RBI and 16 runs. Pou was close behind in average at .375 to go with six doubles, 26 runs, a team high 13 stolen bases and 19 RBI.

Pou shared the team lead in hits with Daniels with 30. Daniels batted .349 with nine doubles, two triples, three homers, 23 RBI and a team high 30 runs. Gentry batted .347 and led the Tigers in homers with four and RBI with 28. She also had seven doubles, a triple and 22 runs.

Along with Minnick, Saluda will be losing three other seniors in Pou, Gentry and Brooklyn Hallman. Towery thinks good things await the Tigers.

“We are going to miss our four seniors, but we are excited for the future of our program,” she said. “This is only the beginning. The standard has been set.”

FOUR BASEBALL PLAYERS NAMED ALL-REGION

The Saluda baseball team had four players named to the All-Region 2-AA team in junior shortstop Drew Arant, junior pitcher Josh Uhlar, sophomore centerfielder Brayden Williams and sophomore catcher Sid Shaw.

           Arant batted .333 for the season with an on-base percentage of .437. He had 25 hits, 12 runs batted in, one home run, 26 runs scored, 12 walks and 10 stolen bases.

           Williams, who was named the Tigers’ Offensive Most Valuable Player, batted .379 with an on-base percentage of .455, 26 hits, 22 RBI, two homers, 14 stolen bases and 24 runs. Both Williams and Arant batted .455 in region play.

           Shaw was selected as the Defensive MVP, but he had a strong season at the plate as well. He batted .375 and had an OBP of .403. Shaw had 23 hits, 19 RBI, 17 walks and a homer.

           Uhlar finished with a 4-2 win-loss record in 37 innings pitched. He had a 3.21 earned run average and struck out 32 batters. He was 3-0 with a 0.78 ERA in region play.

           Saluda finished the year with a 16-11 record and was second in the region. Head coach Travis Mills was the Region Coach of the Year.