Laurens Academy softball returns battery of Huck, Suttles

            Laurens – Having an outstanding pitcher and catcher in the sport of softball, especially at the high school level, can lead to a lot of success.

So Laurens Academy should be pretty good this year.

           The Crusaders have senior standout Olivia Huck back in the circle and fellow senior Emily Suttles behind the plate.

           “I am relying on our senior right-handed pitcher Olivia Huck to carry the team, both in the circle as well as at the bat,” said LA head coach Megan Huck, Olivia’s mother. “She has been All-Region, All-County and All-State and the MVP (Most Valuable Player) of the team. 

“We also have senior lefty Emily Suttles that is our catcher and also strong at the plate.”

           Suttles batted .440 last season to lead Laurens while Huck batted .423 and was outstanding in the circle.

Coach Huck is excited about what the season could hold for the Crusaders.

           “We are in a good position with returning our whole team from last season with five seniors and two juniors that will make up the bulk of our starters,” she said.

          The other returning senior starters are Catherine Riddle at first base and Lillie Davenport and Madelaine Baldwin in the outfield.

          The two junior starters play up the middle in shortstop Maddie Loe and second baseman Abby Howard. The third baseman is freshman Caroline Mullinax.

          The remainder of the roster includes junior outfielder Emily Goncalves, sophomore outfielders Madisyn Graham, Sophia Harvey and Braydyn Dorn, freshman utility player Morgan Bolding and freshman outfielder Makayla Lindley.

LA BASEBALL OFF TO 2-2 START IN REGION PLAY

          The Laurens Academy baseball team won three of its first eight games and was 2-2 in SCISA Region 4-Class A. The Crusaders took a 2-game winning streak into spring break.

          Even better news for LA is that there isn’t a senior starter and the overwhelming majority of the key contributors are sophomores or younger.

          Sophomore Nathan Bell was leading LA offensively with a .450 average. Junior Jared Willard was hitting .375, freshman Caleb Hardy .353, freshman Evan Asalone .348, seventh-grader Elias Littleton .333, sophomore Braydon Burke .280 with three doubles and a triple, freshman Ethan Collins .278 and freshman Elijah Hornberger and junior Hack Hardy both at .250.

Caleb Hardy had 14 stolen bases, Bell 12 and Collins nine.

           Burke has been the top pitcher, having made seven appearances while tossing 21 1/3 innings. He has a 5.91 earned run average and a 2-2 win-loss record.

           Asalone has a 1-1 record and a 7.80 ERA in 11 2/3 innings. Caleb Hardy was 0-2 with a 7.80 ERA in 6 2/3 innings.

           The rest of the roster includes senior Hector Rubio and juniors Anthony Candelas, Jay Riddle and Dillon Frey