ANDERSON, S.C. - Following a stellar sophomore campaign, Anderson University shortstop Abby Child has been named to the Daktronics All-Southeast Region Second Team, as announced Tuesday morning.
The LaGrange, Ga., native was named the South Atlantic Conference Player of the Year and First-Team All-South Atlantic Conference, while ranking 12th in the nation in RBI per game and is 14th in the country with 14 home runs, while helping lead the Trojans to a record-setting season and an appearance in the SAC Tournament title game. She led the league with 61 RBI and was third in the SAC, boasting a .410 batting average - behind just teammate Jessica Neidigh and Mars Hill's Natalie Haithcox.
Child's .739 slugging percentage and on-base percentage (.487) were good enough for second in the conference, while her 119 total bases ranked third in the league. Child wrapped up the regular season with 66 hits, 47 runs scored and 23 walks, which placed her in the top-10 in the SAC in all three categories.
She opened the season with a 13-game hitting streak and posted a season-high 14-game streak in March, while hitting an impressive .427 with runners on base.
North Georgia led the first team selections and overall choices, garnering three first teamers and five overall. Four other region squads tallied three players each on the two teams. The Saints' Melissa Dickie was named Region Pitcher of the Year. Dickie was 20-0 with a 1.18 ERA and 103 strikeouts over 130 2/3 innings so far this year. April Jowers, the Armstrong second baseman, earned Region Player of the Year honors. Jowers hit .565 with 50 runs scored and 105 hits. She had also stolen 28 bases.
The first team selections will move on to the All-America ballot. The Daktronics All-America programs honor student-athletes in Division II athletic programs. The voting, nomination and calculations are conducted by the school's sports information directors.
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2012 Daktronics Softball All-Southeast Region
Pitcher of the Year: Melissa Dickie, North Georgia
Player of the Year: April Jowers, Armstrong
First Team
P: Jessica Coan, North Georgia
P: Melissa Dickie, North Georgia
P: Megan Barnwell, Armstrong
C: Sarah Atkins, Lenoir-Rhyne
1B: Breezy Collings, Flagler
2B: April Jowers, Armstrong
3B: Natalie Haithcox, Mars Hill
SS: Kacee Camp, Augusta St.
OF: Whitney Okvist, Georgia College
OF: Pilar Harden, North Georgia
OF: Kayla Voorhees, Mount Olive
DP: Haley Burnett, Georgia College
UT: Casey Googe, Columbus St.
Second Team
P: Donna Munafo, Flagler
P: Mollie Russell, Columbus St.
P: Dawon Millwood, Lenoir-Rhyne
C: Hilary Cox, North Georgia
1B: Jessica Fellmeth, Lenoir-Rhyne
2B: Alona Personius, Flagler
3B: Karlie Gillam, North Georgia
SS: Abby Child, Anderson
OF: Cassidy Skeen, Carson-Newman
OF: Morgan Knight, Columbus St.
OF: Brianna Mulkey, Lincoln Memorial
DP: Heather Walker, Armstrong
UT: Kelsea Martin, Georgia College
