By By BRUCE HIXON – Sports Editor
Two Jefferson Davis Community College Lady Warhawks softball players have landed spots on the Region 22 Team for the 2006 season.
Sophomore righthanded pitcher Nikki Madden was named to the First Team, while sophomore infielder Lakyn Newton received Second Team honors.
Madden, a Crestview (Fla.) native, was 17-18 with a 1.94 earned run average. Madden worked 252 and two-thirds innings where she allowed 273 hits to go along with 151 strikeouts. Madden won all but two of JDCC's 19 games.
Madden, who hit just .182 in 22 at-bats in 2005, moved into the offensive lineup on a regular basis this season and improved her average to .336 with a pair of doubles, four triples and 19 RBIs. Her batting average was second on the team to Newton.
In addition to Madden, others on the First Team included Whitney Valentine of Bishop State, Lindsey Harrellson, Nikki Moses, Ashlee Gaskin, Jessica Martin and Cassie Cooper of Central Alabama, Shequita Holt of L.B. Wallace, Janira Santiago of Wallace State-Dothan, Ashley Blankenship of Gadsden State, Rachel Fleming of Wallace State-Hanceville, Breanna Lee of Calhoun, Lindsay Creighton of Jefferson State, Leah James of Shelton State and Lakendra Farmer of Shelton State.
Newton, a Greenville native, won JDCC's hitting Triple Crown and led the Lady Warhawks in nine total offensive categories. Newton batted .434 with four homers and 50 RBIs. She also
posted team highs for
slugging percentage at .667, total bases at 106, hits with 69, doubles with 25, sacrifice flies with six and stolen bases with seven. Newton also set what is believed to be a JDCC record for most consecutive hits this spring with nine.
Other Second Team members include Allison Byrne of Jefferson State, Lacey Keenum of Calhoun, Ashley Huntley of Wallace State-Dothan, Liz Young, Ashlee Rathje and Mandy Martin of Gadsden State, Ashley Elmore and Tara Fair of Wallace State-Hanceville, Torie Kelley of Southern Union, Jayme Kountz of Faulkner State, Allison Scogin and Susie Smith of Shelton State, Kim Klugh
of L.B. Wallace, and Jessica McKee of Enterprise-Ozark.