ROCK HILL — The Wolves tallied two on the 2018 South Atlantic Conference All-Conference teams with both, Haley Simonds and Natalie Willis, taking First Team honors today by the league office after votes from SAC coaches.
Haley Simonds – First Team, Designated Player
The sophomore has not disappointed after her breakout freshman season starting and playing in all but two contests for the Wolves at 46 games this season. Through her 128 at bats Simonds has 17 runs, nabbed 53 hits, 15 doubles, two triples, six home runs, 58 runs batted in, and 90 total bases. Her batting average is currently .414 with a slugging percentage of .703.
Simonds has also appeared in the circle for Newberry on 11 different occasions and been a part of three shutouts. Through 16 innings pitched she has nabbed two saves against 61 batters.
On the season she has a total of 14 multiple hit games, 16 multiple RBI games, and is currently on a nine-game hitting streak.
In the conference Simonds is fifth in batting average, first in runs batted in, and in a six-way tie for home runs at six. Nationally, she is 77th in batting average, 46th in doubles, 84th in doubles per game, 31st in on base percentage, eighth in RBIs, 11th in RBIs per game, 81st in slugging percentage, 100 in total bases.
She has also been the South Atlantic Conference AstroTurf Player of the Week twice as well as the Eastern College Athletic Conference’s Player of the Week once.
Natalie Willis – First Team, Shortstop
During her junior campaign Willis has started and played in all 48 contests for the Wolves at the shortstop position. She has been in the batter’s box 160 times, for 47 runs, 65 hits, seven doubles, four triples, six home runs, 34 RBIs, and 98 total bases. Her slugging percentage is .613 with an on base percentage of .433.
She has attempted to steal 13 bases and executed it perfectly and swiftly, and has a fielding percentage of 97.8 percent.
For a total of 21 multiple hit games she has eight multiple RBI games to add. Willis’ longest hitting streak this season was nine games and she is currently riding a three-game streak.
In the SAC she is second in runs, fifth in hits, 40th in doubles, third in triples, in the same six-way tie for home runs with Simonds, 12th in runs batted in, seventh in total bases, and sixth in batting average. Among other Division II Softball players Willis is 100 in batting average, 72nd in runs per game, 59th in total bases, 88th as the toughest to strike out, 52nd in triples, 108th in triples per game.