MILLEDGEVILLE, Ga. – Bladenboro native Abbey Walters played a major role in helping revitalize the UNC Pembroke softball program. Saturday, in the semifinals of the Peach Belt Conference tournament, the Braves saw their season comes to an end.
Top-seeded North Georgia, led by league player of the year Stephanie Hartness and pitcher of the year Courtney Poole, eliminated UNC Pembroke 6-3. Hartness hit two home runs and Poole pitched a five-hitter to improve her record to 48-2.
Walters was 0-for-3 with a strikeout at the plate in Saturday’s semifinal game. The West Bladen High graduate pitched the final four innings in relief of starter Katie Saunders. Walters gave up three hits, struck out one and gave up three runs, although only one run was earned.
North Georgia (49-6) defeated USC Aiken 8-0 in the championship game Saturday. It was North Georgia’s third consecutive tournament title.
Walters, a junior who was selected to the Peach Belt All-Conference team, finished her first season with the Braves with a team-leading .396 batting averaging in 54 games. She also led the club in home runs (8), runs batted in (42), doubles (16), triples (4), hits (72) and slugging percentage (.659). Walters tied for the team lead with 26 stolen bases, was second in runs scored (38), and tied for second on the team with a .420 on-base percentage.
UNCP finished with a 29-24-1 record and reached the PBC semifinals for the first time in program history. The Braves won the most conference games (14) since 2008. UNCP has had back-to-back winning seasons for the first time since 1991-92.
Walters played her first two years of college softball at Southeastern Community College in Whiteville.
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