Northwest’s Ward is region’s best player; Southeast’s Covington makes first team

Published 11:40 pm Thursday, October 2, 2014

Alyssa Ward has batted at the top of the lineup for Northwest Whitfield High School’s softball team nearly every game this season.

Now she’s at the top of Region 7-4A.

In a vote by the league’s coaches, Ward was named the Region 7-4A Player of the Year, making the sophomore the second Lady Bruin in a row to receive such honors after senior catcher Bayli Cruse did so last year. Ward’s selection was announced in conjunction with the release of the All-Region 7-4A Team and Pitcher of the Year — Heritage-Catoosa’s Lauren Lawson — which were also chosen by the coaches.

“It really gives me confidence and it was very exciting when I got the text telling me I had won,” Ward said. “We’ve had so many good players here, it feels good to know that I can continue what they’ve done.”

Ward, a shortstop, was the only Northwest player to make the All-Region First Team. Southeast Whitfield’s Sydney Covington was the only other local player to earn that honor, with the junior — the Lady Raiders’ top pitcher — selected for a utility spot.

Making the All-Region 7-4A Second Team were Northwest’s BriLeigh Baggett (Sr., UTIL) and Shelby Ralston (Jr., INF), as well as Southeast’s Emily Beck (Jr., INF) and Sidney Swantic (Fr., OF).

Ward — who has already committed to Georgia State University — batted ninth last season as part of a senior-laden squad that won the Class 4A title for the second year in a row. But she took off in the leadoff spot this year as a prototypical left-handed slap hitter.

Going into Thursday’s regular season finale against Calhoun, Ward was batting .494 with 46 hits and 12 RBIs. She was also 34-for-37 on stolen base attempts and had scored 29 runs.

The stolen bases are what set her apart from the rest of the region, Northwest coach Jason Brooker said.

“Her speed is her game, and when she can get on base … most of the time when she gets on, she scores,” he said. “If she doesn’t get on base, our chances of scoring go down.”

Brooker’s plan is simple when Ward reaches first base: steal second, get her to third and then get her home.

“A lot of time she steals second, then we bunt her to third,” Brooker said. “She’s real aggressive, and we took every little advantage we could get with her speed.”

With a combination of pitching and hitting, Covington received utility honors after hitting .367 with five home runs and 20 RBIs while going 13-15 in the circle with a 2.96 ERA. She pitched every inning of the season for the Lady Raiders.

“She’s just super-dependable,” Southeast coach Aubrey Shields said, “and you always know what you’re going to get out of Sydney — and it’s always going to be something good.”

Going into Thursday’s game, Baggett had a 10-11 record with a 3.12 ERA and 136 strikeouts while pitching 130 innings. She was hitting .261 with nine RBIs, three doubles and a home run. Ralston was hitting .404 with 16 RBIs, seven doubles and nine stolen bases.

Swantic finished the regular season hitting .317 with four doubles while Beck batted .300 with six doubles and 12 RBIs.

Northwest and Southeast will meet at 5 p.m. Monday in the opening round of the Region 7-4A tournament. They split their home-and-home season series, with the Lady Raiders winning 8-5 on Aug. 21 and the Lady Bruins winning 2-1 on Wednesday to help them clinch the region’s No. 4 seed for the tournament. Southeast is the No. 5 seed entering the tournament, from which the top four finishers will advance to the Class 4A state playoffs.

Heritage, last year’s Region 7-4A champion and the state runner-up to Northwest, is the No. 1 seed for the region tournament. Ridgeland is second, LaFayette is third, Pickens is sixth, Gilmer is seventh and Cartersville is eighth.

Also making the All-Region 7-4A First Team: Cartersville — Annalynn Yantis (INF); Gilmer — Autumn Banks (OF); Heritage — Shelby Hammontree (C), Olivia Tamewitz (OF), Hannah Wills (INF); LaFayette — Kaliegh Goff (INF), Madison Harris (INF), Shayla Ludy (OF), Hannah O’Shields (C); Pickens — Shea Chadwick (INF); Paula Pickett (OF); Ridgeland — Allison Wallin (P).

Also making the All-Region 7-4A Second Team: Cartersville — Kennedy Bailey (C), Mallory Jackson (INF); Gilmer — Taylor Boling (P), Karli Loudermilk (C); Heritage — Haley Sandridge (INF), Sandy Smith (OF); LaFayette — Victoria Day (P), Summer Goins (OF); Pickens — Kayla Howard (INF); Ridgeland — Amy Hill (OF), Courtney Ketner (INF).