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Alamance County has its share of talented high school softball players once again this season. Here are several area players to watch in 2022, listed alphabetically by school, as teams dive into the conference portion of their schedules:
Clover Garden
Lexie Roberts, outfielder / shortstop
Roberts has consistently improved her game since bursting onto the high school scene and earning all-conference honors as a freshman. A multi-sport athlete (finished as the Grizzlies girls’ basketball team’s leading rebounder with 7.3 boards a game), the senior is signed to continue her softball playing career at Radford.
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Eastern Alamance
Destiny Carrerio, shortstop
The sophomore has gotten off to a scorching start this season, leading the team in batting average (.642) and runs batted in (seven). Some of her top performances have come against in-county opponents: 3-for-3 with a double and four RBI against Southern Alamance and a game-winning RBI double against Western Alamance.
Eastern Alamance pitcher Kenna Raye Dark, left, and catcher Taylor Byrd chat during Friday night's game against Western Alamance.
Times-News
Clare Grant for The Times-News
Kenna Raye Dark, pitcher
The North Carolina Gatorade Player of the Year for softball in 2019-20 returns for her senior season after a monstrous first three years — complete with an NCHSAA Class 3-A state championship as a freshman in 2019 — on the varsity level. The North Carolina signee has continued her dominance this season, throwing a no-hitter with 13 strikeouts in a 10-0 victory against Central Davidson on Saturday. At the plate, Dark possesses unmatched power, leading the Eagles in home runs during her freshman (nine HRs), sophomore (two) and junior (six) seasons.
Another Eagle with impressive power at the plate makes the list. Through Eastern Alamance’s first five games this season, the senior has launched a couple home runs, including the game-tying bomb in an eventual come-from-behind victory against rival Western Alamance last week.
As a junior a season ago, Helton ranked first on the team in batting average (.596) among those with at least 40 at-bats, first in hits (28), first in on-base percentage (.627), second in runs scored (19) and tied for first in triples (two). A proven consistent threat at the plate, Helton will continue her playing career at Chowan.
Eastern Alamance junior Molly Lawson scores a run during a game against Southern Alamance in Graham on March 11, 2022.
Times-News
Clare Grant for The Times-News
Molly Lawson, left fielder / infielder
The third of three Lawson sisters to come through the Eagles program is just as talented as her older siblings Morgan and Maddie (now playing at Rutgers). The athletic Lawson made that clear last season as a sophomore when she led the team in doubles (11) and runs scored (20) while finishing third in both batting average (.462) and RBI (19).
Heggie led the Red Devils in batting average (.579), runs batted in (20) and on-base percentage (.784) while ranking second on the team in slugging percentage (.684) as a sophomore a season ago. She has a knack for tallying extra-base hits after finishing with five doubles and two home runs in 11 games last season.
Makiya Baldwin, shortstop / catcher
Baldwin finished first on the team in slugging percentage (.931) and runs scored (22) as a junior in 2021. She ranked second on the team in batting average (.552) and RBI (15).
Southern Alamance
Bri Gallagher, center fielder / second baseman
Gallagher is a senior leader for the Patriots who excels in numerous aspects of the game. As a junior, she batted .429 with 30 RBI, 19 runs scored and one homer, helping the Patriots win the NCHSAA Class 3-A state championship. Gallagher, a Catawba commit, recorded two hits and drove in three runs in an 11-3 victory against Alexander Central in a decisive Game 3 of last season’s state title series.
The junior brings toughness and an intense work ethic to the Patriots. She batted a stellar .547 with two homers, 11 doubles, 19 RBI and 34 runs scored last season. Hessenthaler is yet another player on this list who will play the game in college, staying close to home and suiting up for Elon. Hessenthaler went 3-for-3 with two RBI in Game 3 of the 2021 state championship series.
Heather Vaughn, third baseman / shortstop
Vaughn is a catalyst for Southern Alamance and capable of reaching another gear when she's on. She batted .478 with eight triples, 14 RBI, 36 runs scored and one home run last season. In Game 3 of the 2021 state championship series, Vaughn notched two hits and scored three runs. Vaughn is committed to Virginia.
Niki Vaughn, first baseman / third baseman / catcher
Now in her fourth season as a starter, Vaughn brings experience and leadership to the lineup. She finished with a .327 batting average and racked up 16 RBI, 18 walks, 10 runs scored and one homer as a junior in 2021. Vaughn is committed to Louisburg.
Kayla Wilson, second baseman / outfielder
A hard-nosed sophomore who is committed to doing the little things the right way, Wilson made an instant impact as a freshman in 2021 when she batted .387 with 18 RBI, 15 runs scored and three homers.
Western Alamance
Taylor Apple, pitcher
The junior opened the 2022 season in style, pitching a perfect game, striking out 19 of the 21 batters she faced to help the Warriors defeat Eden Morehead 4-0. The East Carolina commit led the Warriors with both her arm and bat in 2021, posting a 1.24 ERA and .436 batting average (both team-bests). That success has carried into this season as she boasts a 0.66 ERA with 68 strikeouts in 32 innings pitched while leading the team in home runs (two), RBI (six) and slugging percentage (.867).
The junior left-handed hitter bats third in the Warriors lineup and brings speed to the diamond. She holds a perfect fielding percentage from her spot in center field this season, while leading the team in stolen bases (3-for-3) and being tied for second in both hits (five) and batting average (.357).
Ryan Justice, outfielder
A freshman lefty slapper with speed leads off the Warriors lineup. She's first on the team in hits (nine), batting average (.562), runs scored (five) and on-base percentage (.611) so far this season. She ranks second among Western Alamance players with three RBI and a .688 slugging percentage.
Williams
Jainasia Bailey, pitcher / shortstop / catcher
The junior leads the Bulldogs in hits (six), batting average (.857), on-base percentage (.857), slugging percentage (1.142) and triples (one) this season.
Madison Horner, second baseman / shortstop / pitcher
Through the early portion of the season, the sophomore has a .286 batting average.
Yanella Lopez, third baseman / shortstop / outfielder
Just a freshman, Lopez has wasted no time getting involved in the Bulldogs offense. She’s second on the team in hits (five) and batting average (.625) while ranking third in on-base percentage (.625) and slugging percentage (.625).
Hannah Zieclk, shortstop / pitcher / catcher
In the freshman’s debut against Orange, she went 1-for-2 at the plate with a double and a walk.
David Kehrli is a sports reporter at the Burlington Times-News and USA Today Network. You can reach him at david.kehrli@thetimesnews.com. Follow him on Twitter @DavidKehrliTN. Subscribe to the Burlington Times-News here.
