BURGAW – Three East Bladen Lady Eagles – Martha Ryan Simmons, Niyah Wooten and Mollie Tolar – have all been named to the 2024 All-Waccamaw Conference softball team.
Wooten anchored the middle of the East Bladen line-up batting .400 with 26 hits, 25 runs, 18 runs batted in, 4 doubles, 2 triples and 3 home runs. The sophomore outfielder posted a .451 on-base percentage and a .661 slugging percentage.
In a 15-0 playoff win over Weldon, Wooten walloped 2 home runs and a triple, batted 3-for-4 with 4 RBIs and 3 runs scored. She slugged a 2-run homer and a double to drive in 3 runs at Pender and batted 2-for-3 and scored 3 runs against East Columbus. Wooten finished 2-for-4 with 2 RBIs and 2 runs scored against West Columbus.
Wooten made 4 appearances in the pitching circle and posted a 2-1 record with 18 strikeouts in 17 innings. The righthander fired a 5-inning no-hitter in a 9-4 win over Walkertown and pitched a complete game win over West Columbus.
Simmons batted .375 with 27 hits, 25 runs, 12 RBIs, 2 doubles and a home run. The junior catcher recorded a .458 on-base percentage and a .444 slugging percentage and led the team with 10 stolen bases.
In the home win against Pender, Simmons batted a perfect 5-for-5 with 2 RBIs and 3 runs scored. At Whiteville she snapped a 9-9 tie with a 2-run game-winning home run in the 8th inning and finished 3-for-5 with 4 RBIs and 2 runs scored. She batted 3-for-5 with 2 runs scored vs. Walkertown; 2-for-5 with 4 runs scored vs West Columbus; and 4-for 5 with a double, 4 RBIs and 4 runs scored in the playoff win at Weldon.
Tolar batted .290 with 20 hits, 21 runs, 10 RBIs, 2 doubles and 3 triples. The junior thirdbaseman posted a .405 slugging percentage and .355 on-base percentage. She also stole 6 bases.
In a win over West Columbus, Tolar batted 3-for-6 with a triple and 4 runs scored. She turned in a 2-for-4 game with a triple, an RBI and 2 runs scored against East Columbus. Other highlights included a 2-for-4 game with a double and 3 runs scored at Pender; and a 2-for-5 game with 1 RBI vs Pender.
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