Softball | April 27, 2023

AUGUSTA, Ga. – University of South Carolina Aiken softball standouts Emily Ayers and Lakyn Phillips picked up all-PBC honors Thursday morning, as announced by the league office.

Ayers and Phillips garnered second-team accolades.

Ayers, a native of North Augusta, has been dominant this season at bat and behind the plate. She's batting a team-high .358 and sports a team-best OPS of 1.002. She leads the squad with 28 runs scored, 57 hits, 12 doubles, two triples, 97 total bases and a .610 slugging percentage. Ayers is also a perfect 4-4 in stolen bases. She has 15 multi-hit games, seven multi-RBI contests and six multi-run games for the year. 

Defensively, she has thrown out 10 runners attempting to steal, has 301 putouts on the year and has 31 assists. Ayers ranks in the top 10 of the PBC for hits and doubles. 

For her career Ayers has re-written the USC Aiken record books. She's third with 21 home runs, fourth with 100 RBI, tied for eighth with 250 total bases, ninth with 32 doubles and 10^th with four sacrifice flies. Defensively, Ayers is fifth with 730 putouts and seventh with 833 chances.  

Phillips, a native of Lexington, S.C., appeared in 35 games in 2023, including 26 starts. She's gone the distance in 15 games and has four shutouts. Phillips has 10 of the team's victories in 151.2 innings of work. She has 134 strikeouts for the season.  

This year, Phillips registered a season-high 13 strikeouts in a complete-game 11-inning victory over Young Harris. She also struck out 10 against Mars Hill and Benedict while sporting nine-strikeout games against Clarion, Claflin and Flagler. 

Phillips ranks second in the PBC in batters striking out looking, third in innings pitches and overall strikeouts, and 10^th in victories.  

For her career, Phillips is third with three saves, seventh with 314 strikeouts and ninth with eight shutouts. She's also on the verge of entering numerous top-10 lists. 

The duo returns to action Friday in the opening game of the PBC Tournament. 

First Team 
  
1b - Kenzie Bayer, Columbus State 
2b - Zoe Willis, Georgia Southwestern 
3b - Katelyn Wood, Georgia Southwestern 
SS - Madeline Parker, Columbus State 
C - Georgia Blair, North Georgia 
DP - Sophie Mooney, North Georgia 
UT - Hannah Rose Corbin, Columbus State 
OF - Emily Allen, Lander 
OF - Sydney Blair, North Georgia 
OF - Jolie Lester, North Georgia 
P - Tybee Denton, North Georgia 
P - Hannah Rose Corbin, Columbus State 
At-Large - Elyse Ambrose, Columbus State 
At-Large - Hannah Forehand, North Georgia 
At-Large - Laura Harris, Columbus State 
At-Large - Gracie Mixson, North Georgia 
  
Second Team (At-Large) 

Savana Bradford, Georgia Southwestern 
Cassidy Crump, Flagler 
Bailee Roberts, Augusta 
Hannah Carey, Young Harris 
Delaney Heaberlin, North Georgia 
Isabel Marcotte, Georgia Southwestern 
Gracie Hughes, Young Harris 
Gracie Derrick, Lander 
Saje Jones, Lander 
Brooke Miller, Columbus State 
Abbie Behe, Lander 
Mariah Wicker, North Georgia 
Emily Ayers, USC Aiken 
Lacey Rutledge, Georgia Southwestern 
Barbara Cook, Lander 
Lakyn Phillips, USC Aiken 
  
Player of the Year 
Zoe Willis, Georgia Southwestern 
  
Pitcher of the Year 
Hannah Rose Corbin, Columbus State 
  
Freshman of the Year 
Emily Allen, Lander 
  
Elite 16 Award presented by Barnes & Noble College 
Olivia Veidt, Lander 
  
Coach of the Year 
Brad Huskisson, Columbus State