KNOXVILLE – The list of things Aubrey Leach can do as the leadoff hitter for Tennessee’s seventh-ranked softball team is rather lengthy, so co-head coach Karen Weekly has adopted a simple way of explaining Leach’s impact on the Lady Vols this season.
“I’ve said all year I think Aubrey Leach is the most underrated player in the country,” Weekly said once again Monday.
Tennessee’s junior second baseman is leading the Lady Vols into the Southeastern Conference softball tournament at Missouri with a .439 batting average and a .568 on-base percentage, both of which rank second in the conference.
Leach’s knack for reaching base, whether by slap hitting, walking, bunting or standing in the box and driving pitches to all fields is one reason why the Lady Vols are in position to secure a top-eight seed in the NCAA tournament with their performance in the conference tournament.
“It’s definitely something I put a lot of effort into, not just being stuck to one aspect of the game,” Leach said.