Cumberland Softball Players Earn End of Year Accolades

Lebanon, Tenn. – May 1, 2024 – Anna Lay was voted First Team All-Conference, while Ashley Evans and Jacey Hatfield were both selected to the Second Team; Kaitlin Higgins named Gold Glove pitcher, as was announced by the league office this morning.

Anna Lay was the Phoenix’s leadoff hitter all season and batted .471 in that spot, leading the whole of the Mid-South in batting average. Her ability on the basepaths was unmatched in the conference as well, outpacing the field by 14 bags, as she stole 40 bases and kept constant pressure on opposing defenses.

The first Second Team representative, Ashley Evans, was Lay’s partner in crime as they batted one-two all season, keeping runners in scoring position more often than not. Evans batted .365 on the year and her two triples led the team.

The final Second Team representative was Jacey Hatfield, Cumberland’s staple at shortstop. The Smithville, Tennessee native batted .307 on the season and was perfect on the basepaths, stealing ten bags on ten attempts.

Grabbing Cumberland’s only Gold Glove award, Kaitlin Higgins was a brick wall on the mound. In her 35 chances, the senior managed 100% fielding percentage, recording 33 assists and two putouts.

Cumberlands’ (Ky.) Jade Gainer was named the MSC Player of the Year while teammate Talli Burgess earned Pitcher of the Year honors. Campbellsville’s (Ky.) Jessie Daniels was named the Freshman of the Year.

Cumberlands’ Bailey Dillender was voted the MSC Coach of the Year while Alyssa Richards earned Assistant Coach of the Year honors.

Gainer leads the Patriots in batting average (.436), and ranks second on the team in home runs (7). She recorded 25 extra base hits which leads the team and ranks second in RBIs with 50. Gainer ranks second in the MSC in batting average and RBIs and third in the conference in stolen bases with 20.

In the circle, Burgess made 26 appearances with 18 starts in 100 innings pitched. She is 14-0 this season while recording four saves. Burgess has an ERA of 1.89 allowing 27 earned runs and has struck out 70. She leads the conference in saves and is tied for third in the MSC in wins.

Daniels batted .369 recording 58 hits and driving in 42 in her freshman campaign for the Tigers. She also leads the team and the conference in home runs with 12. Daniels is tied for third in the MSC in RBIs.

Dillender and Richards led the Patriots to a 42-5 overall record and a 23-1 MSC record as the Patriots captured their second MSC championship.

First Team All-Conference

C Amber Atkins University of the Cumberlands

C Kaeleigh Tuck Campbellsville University

IF Emily Bryant University of the Cumberlands

IF Brinley Cousar Freed-Hardeman University

IF Jessie Daniels Campbellsville University

IF Carly Oliver University of the Cumberlands

IF Caroline Pitcock Campbellsville University

IF Bailey Turnbow University of the Cumberlands

OF Amber Gainer University of the Cumberlands

OF Jade Gainer University of the Cumberlands

OF Natalie Gilmore Freed-Hardeman University

OF Anna Lay Cumberland University

OF Karli Quillin Freed-Hardeman University

OF Emily Reynolds Campbellsville University

DP Alivia Eggleston Freed-Hardeman University

P Brittany Adair Freed-Hardeman University

P Talli Burgess University of the Cumberlands

P Katy Chadwell Campbellsville University

P Kayden Murray Lindsey Wilson College

Utility Makenzie Keatts University of the Cumberlands

Second Team All-Conference

C Kelsie Bostock Lindsey Wilson College

IF Miranda Carnell Bethel University

IF Elizabeth Funk Lindsey Wilson College

IF Jacey Hatfield Cumberland University

IF Lindsey Mitchell Campbellsville University

IF Alanna Pierce Georgetown College

OF Chloe Carter Freed-Hardeman University

OF Ashley Evans Cumberland University

OF Maria Murdaugh Bethel University

P Lindsey Shope University of the Cumberlands

Gold Glove

C Amber Atkins University of the Cumberlands

1B Kalani Kuroda Bethel University

2B Carly Oliver University of the Cumberlands

SS Aniyah White University of the Cumberlands

3B Emily Bryant University of the Cumberlands

OF Amber Gainer University of the Cumberlands

OF Natalie Gilmore Freed-Hardeman University

OF Karli Quillin Freed-Hardeman University

P Kaitlin Higgins Cumberland University

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