Published Thursday, April 24, 2008 1:45 PM
Updated Thursday, April 24, 2008 1:46 PM

 

In the college ranks

Several athletes from the area who have moved into the college ranks are doing quite well there.

For the third straight season, USC Aiken catcher Jessica Strickland has been named to the Peach Belt All-Conference softball team. The junior was recently named to the 20-person team, becoming only the second person in school history to be named to three all-conference teams.

Strickland, a former Fort Dorchester High School standout, started all games for the Lady Pacers this season. The junior hit .373 with 14 doubles, seven home runs, and 31 RBIs. She also stole 16 bases, had a .596 slugging percentage and sports a .412 on-base percentage.

With 28 home runs, 110 RBIs and 305 total bases, Strickland is now the school’s all-time leader in all three categories. She has a career batting average of .358.

Former Summerville High School pitcher Matt Vaughn is making a name for himself with the Clemson baseball team. The junior is one of 45 college players recently named to the annual National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association Stopper of the Year Award midseason watch list.

A co-captain this season, Vaughn has a 3.33 ERA in 27 innings as a long reliever/spot starter. He has 30 strikeouts with only six walks and has given up 10 earned runs.

Entering the 2008 season, he had a 4-1 record, 4.61 ERA and one save in 29 appearances (two starts) in his career. In 52.2 innings pitched during his first three years as a Tiger, he allowed 63 hits (.292 opponents' batting average) and 21 walks with 52 strikeouts while surrendering only three home runs. In 2007, he was named to the All-ACC Academic Team.

Vaughn’s former teammate, Bryan Altman, is among the top batters for The Citadel baseball team. The red-shirt sophomore is tied with Stratford graduate Sonny Meeade for most team RBIs with 31 on the year. Altman is ranked third on the team in hits (43), fourth in runs scored (27) and homeruns (5) and second in sacrifice bunts (3).

The infielder has 40 starts this season. He has a .257 batting average, .389 slugging percentage and .321 on-base percentage.

Former Green Wave pitcher Drew Mahaffey isn’t getting the innings Altman is, but he is still a contributor for the Bulldogs. In three outings on the mound this season, the freshman has given up only two runs and one walk while striking out eight batters. He has a 4.91 ERA.

The Green Wave also has representatives on both the Clemson and South Carolina track and field teams. Tiger Kendall Millhouse won the 100-meter dash title at the Solid Orange Classic meet with a time of 10.75 in the final. He had the top time in the prelims as well at 10.74, which marked a season-best for the freshman out of Summerville High School. The time represents the second best qualifying time of the season so far for the Tigers.

USC freshman Kayla Blake set a 5-5 mark in the high jump April 12 to tie Kettiany Clarke for the top Gamecock mark in the event for the season. Blake has three Top 3 finishes in the event this season. She also has a Top 10 finish in the 100 hurdles.

During the indoor season, Blake had five Top 5 finishes, including a first place at the Game Cock Invitational Feb. 23. She placed seventh at the indoor SEC Championships.

Former Patriot second baseman Lindsey LaPrad has 44 starts this year for the Erskine College softball team. The freshman has 34 hits, 21 RBIs and 19 runs. She has a .415 slugging percentage, .346 on-base percentage and .983 fielding percentage.

Former Fort shortstop Aissa Gatewood has 44 starts for the Newberry College softball team. The freshman has 51 hits, 39 runs and eight RBIs. Gatewood has a .349 batting average, .404 slugging percentage and on-base percentage and .937 fielding percentage.

Former Green Wave catcher Jennifer Crump has played in 35 games for the USC Aiken softball team. The freshman has 16 hits, four RBIs and a .292 on-base percentage.

*All statistics are based on the most current information posted by the colleges as of Tuesday afternoon.