Walker Valley High School’s Carissa Frost and Laney Harris and Ringgold High’s Shelby Cole were among the seven softball signees announced Friday by Lee University. The others were Tullahoma pitcher Madison Barnett and Georgians Kylie Bohl from Savannah, Annalyn Ormsby from Woodstock and Madison Richards from Alpharetta. Middle infielder Harris and outfielder Frost take .427 and .397 batting averages into their final Lady Mustangs season, Harris with 15 home runs and 40 doubles and Frost with a .449 2018 summer-ball average. “Carissa has experienced some big moments in high school and travel ball, and with her exciting athletic style of play she will be an impact from day one,” Lady Flames coach Emily Russell said in a Lee release. “She is an extremely fast athlete that will be a great offensive threat from the left side. Laney is a quiet force. She is a three-sport athlete at Walker Valley and provides leadership and confidence that we are looking forward to adding to the program. She is a solid defender and a clutch hitter.” Of Cole, a first-team all-region player who batted .354 with nine homers this past fall, Russell said, “Shelby has the ability to play most everywhere on the field outside of pitcher. She is a tremendously talented athlete that played both basketball and softball in high school. Her team won a state championship this season, and she was a big part of their success. She is a very strong hitter who has the ability to get the ball out of the park.” Barnett, Russell said, “is a lefty pitcher that I think will do a great job in giving opposing hitters a different look on the staff. We are excited to have somebody with the ability to move the ball like she does.” Bohl, a versatile infielder and strong hitter, “will be a force,” Russell said, after batting .475 the last two high school seasons. Richards and all-stater Ormsby are other left-handed batters and standout outfielders.
Beach Volleyball
* The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga released its first beach volleyball schedule Friday, and it begins Feb. 29 at Mercer. With only one home match this year – March 31 against Georgia State at the UTC Sports Complex – the Mocs play March 20 at Jacksonville State, March 27-28 at UT-Martin and April 17-18 in a tournament at JSU. They return to UTM for the Ohio Valley Conference tournament April 24-25.”We are thrilled to begin our inaugural season of beach volleyball. It’s a new opportunity to compete and represent the university with excellence,” coach Darin Van Horn said in a UTC release. “Beach volleyball is the fastest growing sport in the NCAA, and we’re excited to join that trend.”
Basketball
* The Sewanee women’s basketball team lost 52-47 in Friday’s Southern Athletic Association doubleheader at Millsaps, and the host Majors won the men’s game 80-72. Ellie Treanton had 19 points, nine rebounds and five steals for the Sewanee women (5-7, 1-1). Jordan Warlick scored 20 points with four 3-point baskets for the male Tigers (7-6, 1-1), and Ryan Starr had 18 points and eight rebounds. Warlick scored 12 in the 35-35 first half.
Compiled by Ron Bush. Contact him at rbush@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6291.