ASWA Honors: Latham leads Marengo County athletes as ‘5A Hitter of the Year’

Demopolis High School’s Abbey Latham was named the state’s top hitter in 5A by the Alabama Sports Writers Association.

Demopolis High School’s Abbey Latham was named the state’s top hitter in 5A by the Alabama Sports Writers Association.

Demopolis High School’s Abbey Latham was named Class 5A Hitter of the Year and headlines a group of Marengo County student-athletes honored by the Alabama Sports Writers Association (ASWA).

The junior Ole Miss commit was also named to the 2016 ASWA Super All-State Softball Team and the 5A ASWA softball all-state team as a catcher.

In all, 13 Marengo County student athletes took home ASWA honors.

Latham lead the Demopolis High School Lady Tigers in the majority offensive statistical categories batting .571 to help her collect 60 hits, 20 doubles, 12 homeruns, three triples and score 50 runs while drawing 20 walks and only striking out twice all season.

Joining Latham in Class 5A all-state recognition is Courtney Smith who received an honorable mention at third base. Smith batted .435, scored 40 runs and stole 19 bases during her junior year.

Sweet Water’s Kayla Marshall was named to the Class 2A First Team at first base in her junior season .468 with two home runs and 21 runs scored.

The female Marengo County Student-Athlete of the Year Emily Black was named to the Class 2A second team. The Lady Bulldog finished with 26 RBI while batting .346 and going 13-8 as a pitcher

Sara Irvin hit .407 on the season and took home honorable mention recognition in Class 2A at shortstop for the Lady Bulldogs.

In the AISA ranks, eight grader Mary Grace Sheffield earned a second team honor along with junior designated hitter Macey Petrey. Sheffield hit .463 while stealing 23 bases and scoring 29 runs while Petrey batted .545 with a homer, 29 RBI, 31 runs scored and 16 stolen bases.

Ryan Hale received honorable mention in here senior season at second base after hitting .408 with 17 stolen bases and 28 runs scored.

A trio of Longhorns highlight the baseball awards as Robert Tutt, second base, and Hayden Huckabee, utility, were named to the AISA ASWA All-State first team and David Dunn, pitcher was named to the second team.

Tutt finished his junior season batting .525, hitting three homers, 29 RBI and scoring 27 runs while Huckabee finished his career as a Longhorn batting .454 with three homers, 28 RBI and 35 runs scored. Dunn finished his junior campaign with a 6-1 record with a 1.79 ERA for the Longhorns.

Spring Hill signee Luke Yelverton earned a nod on the Class 5A All-State second team after hitting .364 on the season while amassing 20 RBI in just 26 contests. Yelverton also went 5-1 on the mound for the Tigers with a 1.97 ERA, striking out 55 batters in 49.2 innings of work in a senior campaign that saw the DHS baseball team go as deep in the playoffs as they have in 11 seasons.

Sweet Water sophomore Jonah Smith took honorable mention recognition in Class 2A going 8-1 on the mound with a 1.02 ERA, striking out 69 batters with only 14 walks in 63 innings.

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