2022 Softball Players of the Week

  • Shanan Hester, Roanoke, Sr., Shortstop/Pitcher
    April 25, 2022
    Hester, a senior from Wendell, N.C., got it done both at the dish and in the circle in helping Roanoke to a 4-0 week that included a pair of ODAC sweeps of Ferrum (1-0, 10-2) and Eastern Mennonite (6-5, 2-0) to wrap-up the fourth seed in the upcoming conference tournament. With a bat in her hand, Hester slashed .600/.714/.600 as she reached safely in 10-of-14 plate appearances. In the sweep of Ferrum, Hester went 1-for-1 in both games, but also walked twice in each contest. She scored two runs and drove in one while also stealing a base. In the circle, She earned a victory in game two against the Panthers. She gave up one run on four this with 5 walks and a strikeout over 4.0 innings in the shortened outing. Hester went 4-for-8 in the sweep at Eastern Mennonite. She drove in a run in game one and scored once in game two. She fired a two-hit shutout in the second game. She walked a pair and struck out five. For the season, Hester leads the ODAC in hitting (.465) and doubles (14). She is second in OBP (.505), fifth in slugging (.717), and sixth in hits (46). In the circle, Hester is 4-7 with a save in 13 appearances including nine starts covering 56.0 innings. She owns a .388 ERA and has struck out 41 batters.
  • Gracie Ellis, Randolph-Macon, Fy., Pitcher
    April 25, 2022
    Ellis, a freshman from New Kent, Va., caps her first collegiate regular season with her fifth ODAC weekly award after tossing 16.0 scoreless innings in three appearances for Randolph-Macon last week. Ellis opened with a two-hit shutout for a 3-0 non-conference win over McDaniel College. She did not walk a batter and fanned eight. She retired the first nine batters she faced, gave up two singles in the fourth, and then set down the next 11 batters in a dominating effort. Ellis turned up the strikeout total in a second two-hit shutout, this time on the road at Shenandoah. She did walk one batter, but struck out 14 Hornets on the way to a 2-0 victory. The 14 K's mark her seventh game with 10 or more punchouts. She closed the game by retiring 11 consecutive batters. Ellis capped her week with a pair of unblemished frames in a 1-0 loss to SU in game two. Four of the six outs she recorded were by strikeout. For the season, Ellis is 17-3 with three saves in 24 appearances including 17 starts. Her win total is second in the ODAC along. She leads the league in ERA (1.08), strikeouts (183), K's per seven innings (9.88), and shutouts (7). She is second in innings pitched (129.2) and third in opponents batting average (.166).
  • Sarah Wimer, Bridgewater, Sr., Catch
    April 18, 2022
    Wimer, a senior from Broadway, Va., earns her second weekly award after leading Bridgewater to a 2-2 week against ODAC competition to move the Eagles records to 21-15 and 11-5 in conference play. That ranks them second in the league table. Wimer generated at least one run in each contest and reached base nine times over 15 plate appearances (.600 OBP) in the four game. In a split (4-5, 9-0) with Roanoke, she went 1-for-4 with two walks, two RBI, and three runs scored. One of those runs was the an inside-the-park homerun in game one. That round-tripper marked her 11th homer, setting a new BC single-season record. In a split (3-4, 10-4) on the road at Shenandoah, Wimer went 5-for-8 with a double, four RBI, walk, a run scored, and a stolen base. She went 2-for-4 with an RBI in game one, and then drove in three in game two as she went 3-for-4 with a walk. Wimer was also error from the field and threw out a pair of would-be basestealers. For the season, Wimer is third in the ODAC in hitting (.445) and leads the league in OBP (.523) and slugging (.855). She is second in hits (49) and first in homers (11), RBI (44), total bases (94) and walks (19).
  • Emily Charlton, Lynchburg, So., Pitcher
    April 18, 2022
    Charlton, a sophomore from Chesapeake, Va., picks up her first ODAC weekly award after pitching Lynchburg to a pair of conference wins to improve the Hornets records to 21-17 overall and 11-5 in league play. Charlton won both of her starts last week, including an eight-inning marathon in game one of a split at Randolph College. She tossed all eight frames and allowed just one unearned run, which was the eighth-inning tiebreaker runner, in Lynchburg's 6-1 victory. She scattered seven hits and struck out one. After allowing a lead-off single, she set down the next nine WildCats. Charlton then posted her second complete victory in a 7-5 decision over Ferrum. She allowed five runs with two being earned. She worked around eight hits and did not walk a batter for a second straight outing. She fanned six Panthers. For the season, Charlton is now is now 10-4 with two saves in 15 appearances (10 starts) covering 100.1 innings in the circle. She has struck out 63 allowed just 11 walks. She owns a 2.09 ERA and opponents are hitting .251 against her.
  • Rilee Baughan, Randolph-Macon, Jr., 1st Base/Pitcher
    April 11, 2022
    Baughan, a junior from Warsaw, Va., earns her third ODAC weekly award of the season after cracking seven extra-base hits including five homeruns to help nationally sixth-ranked Randolph-Macon to a 4-2 week against ODAC competition. Baughan went 2-for-7 with a homer, RBI, and two runs scored in a split (2-1, 8-10) with Lynchburg. She belted a solo shot in game two to go along with a single. In a split (9-1, 1-12) with Bridgewater, Baughan went 3-for-6 with a double, homer, two RBI, three runs scored, and a walk. She smacked a two-run homer over the left field fence in game one to help R-MC recover from an early 1-0 deficit. Randolph-Macon also posted a pair of 7-0 victories over Guilford. Baughan went 4-for-7 in those contests with a double, three homers, eight RBI, three runs scored, and a walk. She set the tone in game one with a three run blast to left-center for the game's first runs. In game two, she hit a solo shot in the first inning, belted a two-run double to right-center in the fourth, and then went oppo again with a two-run homer to right in the sixth. For the season, Baughan leads the ODAC with a .444 batting average. She is second in homers (8), RBI (37), total bases (72), and slugging (.800). She is third in hits (40) and fifth in OBP (.485).
  • Gracie Ellis, Randolph-Macon, Fr., Pitcher
    April 11, 2022
    Ellis, a freshman from New Kent, Va., continued her stellar first season in Ashland with arguably her best week of the year to earn her fourth ODAC weekly honor. Ellis pitched nationally sixth-ranked Randolph-Macon to a trio of wins that were highlighted by a perfect game in a 7-0 victory against Guilford in game one of a sweep. She faced the minimum amount of Quakers in not allowing a baserunner over seven full frames. She fanned 14 batters to mark her sixth game of 10 or more strikeouts. Her strikeout total was buoyed by a game-opening run of 9-of-10 batters set down via punchout. That included striking out the side in the second and third innings. Earlier in the week, Ellis also picked up complete game victories over Lynchburg and Bridgewater. Against the Hornets, Ellis pitched all eight innings in the Yellow Jackets' 2-1 victory in extras. She gave up one run on five hits. She walked a pair and struck out five. Her day was a bit shorter versus Bridgewater as R-MC topped the Eagles, 9-1, in five innings. She worked each frame, allowing one run on two hits. She issued one free pass and struck out three. For the season, Ellis is now 14-2 with a 1.22 earned run average in 97.2 innings in the circle. She leads the ODAC in victories and ERA and is second in innings. She also leads the conference in shutouts (5), strikeouts (145) and strikeouts per seven innings (10.39). She is second in complete games (12) and sixth in opponents batting average (.177).
  • Anna Grace Terrell, Lynchburg, Fy., Designated Player
    April 04, 2022
    Terrell, a first-year from Sherrills Ford, N.C., hit safely in all four games for Lynchburg and drove in runs in three contests in the Hornets 3-1 week. Those results include the program's first regular season sweep of nationally ninth-ranked Virginia Wesleyan since 2013. Terrell went 6-for-11 on the week with five RBI and a pair of runs score. In a 4-3 win in game one at VWU, she singled and scored the game's first run. She drove in the game's winning run with a single in game two for a 3-2 triumph over the Marlins. In a split with Mary Washington, Terrell went 2-for-3 with three RBI towards a 4-2 victory in game one. She again went 2-for-3 in game two, this time drawing a walk, driving in a run, and scoring one herself in a 7-5 setback. For the season, Terrell is hitting .450 (9-for-20) with one double and six RBI. She owns a .593 OBP and a .500 slugging percentage.
  • Gracie Ellis, Randolph-Macon, Fr., Pitcher
    April 04, 2022
    Ellis, a freshman from New Kent, Va., was dominant for nationally sixth-ranked Randolph-Macon with a win and a save as she appeared in both ends of a doubleheader sweep of Ferrum College to earn her third ODAC Pitcher of the Week award. Ellis started and went the distance on the way to a 1-0 shutout in game one. She allowed just four hits and walked one while registering a career-high 17 strikeouts to mark her fifth game with at least 10 punchouts. She retired the first nine Panthers she faced including eight via strikeout. Six of the last seven outs she recorded were also Ks. Ellis then fired three innings of relief to close game two and earn a save in a 3-0 victory. She allowed just one hit and walked one with three strikeouts to give her 20 Ks in 10.0 total innings of work. For the season, Ellis is 11-2 with 2 saves in 15 appearances that includes 10 starts and 77.2 innings in the circle. She leads the ODAC in ERA (1.35), strikeouts (123) and strikeouts per seven innings (11.09). She is second in wins, innings pitcher, complete games (9), and shutouts (4). Opponents are hitting .191 against her.
  • Karle Cundiff, Lynchburg, Jr., 3rd Base
    March 28, 2022
    Cundiff, a junior from Glade Hill, Va., was both ever-present on base and run-producer for the Hornets last week in a 3-1 showing that included a road sweep (6-5, 8-5) of Eastern Mennonite and a home split (4-13, 4-3) against Bridgewater. Lynchburg's extra-inning victory in the open at EMU marked the 650th career victory for head coach Dawn Simmons. Cundiff went 4-for-6 with a walk in that series. She single and walked while driving in a run in game one, then twice gave Lynchburg leads in game two. She went 3-for-4 in that contest with a grand slam in the fourth inning for a 4-3 advantage, and then gave the Hornets the lead for good with an RBI double in sixth frame. Against Bridgewater, Cundiff went 1-for-4 in the first game and followed up with a 2-for-3 showing in game two. She again left the yard with a solo shot in the fourth for a 3-2 lead in yet another extra innings win for Lynchburg. On the season, Cundiff is hitting .404 (21-for-52) with a .466 OBP and a .615 slugging percentage. Her home runs this week were her first two of the year and she has driven in 11 runs.
  • Lyndsey Sears, Ferrum, Jr., Pitcher
    March 28, 2022
    Sears, a junior from Forest City, N.C., helped the Panthers rattle off four wins to kickoff their ODAC slate with sweeps of nationally third-ranked Virginia Wesleyan (5-3, 5-4) and Shenandoah (4-0, 4-3). Sears went 3-1 four appearances as she earned victories in both games against VWU. She shook off a 6-5 loss to former ODAC foe and current Division II-reclassifying opponent Emory & Henry with a second complete game performance in game one against the Marlins. She gave up three runs (2 earned) while scattering eight hits. She walked a pair and fanned five batters. Sears then finished the second game and earned her second win. She gave up one unearned run on one hit. She walked two and struck out a pair in 2.0 frames. She also helped out offensively and she blasted a solo homer in the second game. Sears returned to the pitching plate in game one against Shenandoah and fired a one-hitter on the way to the shutout. She walked one Hornet and struck out four others. For the season, Sears is 9-3 in 12 appearances including 10 starts covering 69.0 total innings. She owns the league's second-best ERA (1.62) and has punched out the third-most (64) hitters. Opponents are hitting .191 against her.
  • Sarah Wimer, Bridgewater, Sr., Catcher
    March 21, 2022
    Wimer, a senior from Broadway, Va., brought out the big club as she slugged 1.250 over six games in helping Bridgewater to a 4-2 week. Wimer, who also hit .550 and posted a .571 OBP, went 11-for-20 overall with two doubles, four homers, six RBI, six runs scored, and walk over the half-dozen outings. In a sweep (10-2, 6-0) of Mary Baldwin, Wimer went 4-for-7 overall with a pair of doubles in game one and two solo blasts in game two. She again left yard in game one at Greensboro College as her two-run blast was part of a three-run eighth inning for a 4-1 win in extras. She went 4-for-8 overall in the split (4-1, 4-6) against The Pride. Wimer and the Eagles capped their week with a split (4-3, 1-2) against Pfeiffer. She walked and singled in game one, and then recorded her 100th career hit with a solo homer in game two as part of a two-hit effort. For the season, Bridgewater's catcher leads the ODAC in homers (6), RBI (22) and total bases (48). Her .873 slugging percentage is second, while her .455 batting average is fourth. She is third with 25 hits.
  • Emily Seale, Virginia Wesleyan, So., Pitcher
    March 21, 2022
    Seale, a sophomore from Madison, Va., earns her second weekly award of the season after going 3-0 over three starts and 20.0 innings in the circle to lead nationally third-ranked Virginia Wesleyan to a 6-0 week. The defending Division III champion Marlins have now won 10 straight games. Seale started game one of all three series. She went the distance in a 5-1 victory of Muhlenberg at home to kickoff the week. She allowed one run on five hits. She walked run and struck out four Mules. Two days later, Seale again fired all seven frames in a 6-1 win at N.C. Wesleyan. She gave up one run on four hits. She issued a pair of free passes, but fanned eight Bishops. Seale capped her week with six solid frames in a 14-1 victory over #13 Roanoke in an ODAC clash in Salem. She again surrendered one run on four hits. She walked two and registered six punchouts. For the season, Seale is joined by Roanoke's Jada Karnes and Randolph-Macon's Gracie Ellis with a league-best nine victories. Seale is 9-1 with two saves in 13 appearances including 10 starts. In 62.2 innings pitched, she has given up 22 runs (14) earned for a 1.56 ERA, good for fifth in the league. She has fanned the third-most (57) batters and allowed 54 hits for a .224 opponents batting average.
  • Rilee Baughan, Randolph-Macon, Jr., 1st Base/Pitcher
    March 14, 2022
    Baughan, a junior from Warsaw, Va., picks up her second weekly award of the season after getting in done both at the dish and in the circle as 17th-ranked Randolph-Macon swept a doubleheader from 13 Berry College. In a 4-3 win in game one, Baughan singled in three at-bats. In game two, she went 3-for-3 with a double and a solo homer in the second inning to give R-MC the lead. Baughan also carried the load on the pitching plate as she worked all seven frames to earn a 2-1 victory. She gave up one run on four hits. She walked a pair and fanned nine Vikings on the way to improving to 3-0 on the season. At one point, she set down nine straight batters before allowing a run in the fourth inning. For the season, Baughan is slashing .486/.524/.811 with a league-best three homers and 16 RBI (#2 in ODAC). In the circle, she owns a 2.53 ERA over 27.2 innings and six appearances. She has struck out 24 batters.
  • Jada Karnes, Roanoke, Jr., Pitcher
    March 14, 2022
    Karnes, a junior from Roanoke, Va., helped nationally 19th-ranked Roanoke stay hot with four victories in five appearances that included three complete games in each of her three starts. Karnes opened with a six-inning shutout in an 8-0 win over Marian (Wis.). She gave up three hits and walked a pair while striking out seven Sabres. Karnes came back later that day to work the final inning and earn a win in a 7-6 victory over Marietta College. She surrendered a run on two hits without a walk and one strikeout. She was back in the circle against the University of Mount Union and pitched the Maroons to a 2-1 victory with seven full innings. She allowed one run on fourth hits. She did not walk a batter a struck out a pair. Karnes made her third start of the week against an Ohio team and picked up another complete game win in a 6-2 victory over Muskingum University. She gave up two runs (one earned) on five hits. She again did not allow a free pass and fanned a season-best 12 batters. Her final outing of the week was in relief in a 5-3 loss to Otterbein University (Ohio). She allowed two runs on a hit with two walks and three punchouts in 2.1 innings of work. For the season, Karnes is tied atop the ODAC with eight victories and is 8-0 in nine appearances. She leads the league in shutouts (5) and is tied for first in complete games (7). In 53.2 innings, she has struck out an ODAC-high 83 batters. She owns a 1.70 ERA and a .178 opponents batting average.
  • Sophie Tully, Lynchburg, Jr., 1st Base
    March 07, 2022
    Tully, a junior from Moseley, Va., was red hot in Lynchburg's 4-2 showing at the Fastpitch Dreams Spring Classic hosted in North Myrtle Beach, S.C. Tully hit .706 (12-for-17) with a 2.031 OPS (.737 OBP plus 1.294 SLG), six extra-base hits and 15 runs driven in. She increased her hitting streak to eight consecutive games with at least one hit in all six contests this week. In a doubleheader split with Grove City College (9-5, 9-10) on day one, Tully went 7-for-8 including a three-run double and three-run homer in game one. One day two, she was 1-for-3 with a double in a 3-2 loss to Kean University and cracked a RBI single and a two-run double in a 12-0 win over SUNY-Purchase in game two. One the final day, Tully went 2-for-2 with a walk in each of the Hornets victories -- 11-1 over Eureka and 18-0 over Lebanon Valley. She doubled, drove in a run, walked, and stole a base against Eureka. She legged out a three-run triple and belted a solo homer with a walk against Lebanon Valley. For the season, Tully leads the ODAC in RBI (18), triples (3), and SLG (1.061). She is tied for the league lead in doubles (6) and homers (2). She is fifth in batting (.515) and ninth in OBP (.568).
  • Emily Seale, Virginia Wesleyan, So., Pitcher
    March 07, 2022
    Seale, a sophomore from Madison, Va., made five appearances at the ultra-competitive NFCA Leadoff Classic and return to Virginia Wesleyan's campus with four victories and a save without a loss. Seale, the 2021 ODAC Rookie of the Year, worked the first three innings in the Marlins 12-0 victory over Illinois Wesleyan University. She gave up two hits and walked one with six strikeouts among the nine outs she recorded. She then came back later that day and worked three innings of relief to earn the win in a 5-4 decision over nationally top-ranked DePauw University. She gave up two runs on four hits. She walked one and fanned three Tigers. Seale worked just one game the next day as she went six innings to earn a 5-1 win over Pomona-Pitzer. She gave up one run on three hits with a walk and seven punchouts. On the final day, Seale appeared in both of VWU's outings. She started and went the first five innings for a 5-4 victory over Central College (Iowa). She surrendered one unearned run on four hits with two walks and two strikeouts. She then closed the second game to record a save in a 1-0 win over MIT. She gave up one hit and walked one with a strikeout in the final inning. For the season, Seale is 5-1 with a save in eight appearances including six starts. She has struck out 33 batters in 35.2 innings of work for a 6.48 K/7 ratio, which is more than double her strikeout rate from a season ago.
  • Alli Clemens, Guilford, So., Catcher
    February 28, 2022
    Clemens, a sophomore from Cocoa, Fla., was perfect at the dish to help Guilford to a sweep of Salem College via 12-1 and 4-3 results. Clemens was 4-for-4 in game one as she doubled and crushed a two-run homer as part of a three-RBI showing. In game two, she singled in her lone official at bat. She also walked and scored two runs to finish the two-game set -- Guilford's first two wins of the season -- with a 1.000/1.000/1.800 slash line. Through six games his year, the Quakers' backstop is hitting .636 (7-for-11) with three doubles, a homer, three RBI, and three walks. She owns a .714 OBP and 1.182 SLG.
  • Gracie Ellis, Randolph-Macon, Fr., Pitcher
    February 28, 2022
    Ellis, a freshman from New Kent, Va., picks up her second straight weekly award after picking up two wins in two starts last week. Ellis tossed a five-inning no-hitter against Marymount (Va.) to win 13-0 at the Triangle Classic. She fanned 12 batters amongst the 15 outs recorded. She walked two batters as the only blemishes on her scorecard. Then, in a late schedule addition, Ellis came back that day and fired all seven frames to earn a 6-5 victory over Denison. She game up five runs (four earned) while scattering 11 hits. She walked just one and struck out nine batters. For the season, Ellis leads the ODAC with three victories and 31 strikeouts in 17.0 innings of work. She owns a 1.65 ERA with a .197 batting average against.
  • Rilee Baughan, Randolph-Macon, Jr., Pitcher/First Base
    February 21, 2022
    Baughan, a junior from Warsaw, Va., got it done both at the dish and in the circle for the Yellow Jackets as Randolph-Macon opened the 2022 season with a sweep of Mary Washington. In an 8-0 win in game one, Baughan homered and drew a walk in R-MC's shortened shutout of the Eagles. She then earned a complete game victory in the circle in game two while also doing damage at the plate in Randolph-Macon's 6-2 victory. Baughan belted a two-run shot for the game's first runs in the top of the first inning. In the circle, she gave up two runs (one earned) on seven hits. She did not walk a batter and fanned five.
  • Gracie Ellis, Randolph-Macon, Fr., Pitcher
    February 21, 2022
    Ellis, a freshman from New Kent, Va., was nearly perfect in her first collegiate appearance as she started the Yellow Jackets season-opener in a sweep of Mary Washington. Ellis worked all five frames of the shortened affair, earning an 8-0 victory over the Eagles. She allowed just two hits and did not walk a batter. She fanned 10 UMW batters. After allowing a single to the first batter she faced, she retired the next six hitters including four via strikeout. Ellis closed the game by setting down 10 consecutive batters.