Red Devils’ Womack, Sumerlin earn April awards
Allen Community College honored its players of the month from February, March and April on Monday at a luncheon hosted at Dudley’s BBQ.
This month’s honors went to softball’s Ashley Womack and baseball’s Torrence Sumerlin.
Womack has spent April crushing softballs. In just 13 games, she is hitting .455 with seven home runs.
She also has team-highs in both RBIs and runs scored with 27 and 14 apiece.
The sophomore’s highlight of the month came on April 7, when her walk-off home run in extra innings beat Neosho County Community College.
Womack’s efforts have helped guarantee the opportunity for ACC softball to host its first playoff series since 2011 when they won 41 games.
“It is super exciting that we get to host,” Womack said. “I think we will have a big home-field advantage.”
Allen’s record has improved in both of Womack’s years at the school. The season before she arrived the team went 6-40. Last year, they finished 15-29 and now they are currently 28-18 on the year.
“It has been really fun,” Womack said. “Everyone has stepped up these last couple of months. We have so much fun playing as a team.”
Sumerlin has helped the baseball team to a similar season. They have secured a playoff berth and sit 25-19 this season.
“We have a number of good hitters,” Sumerlin said. “You can trust anyone off the bench. If coach calls somebody off the bench or somebody gets injured, we have lots of people to fill the spot and we trust them.”
The catcher has been on a tear this month, batting .400 with eight home runs in just 13 games. He also has 25 RBIs in those games.
“I’m just seeing the ball well,” Sumerlin said. “Hitting is contagious. When my teammates hit in front of me, I need to pick them up and hit as well. We are having fun out there.”
Sumerlin has been happy with his defense behind the plate recently.
“I take a lot of pride in it,” he said.
February’s honorees were softball’s Baileigh Rager and baseball’s Torey Jordan.
Rager opened the spring season on fire on both the mound and at the plate. She hit .533 in 11 games in the month with four home runs.
She also was able to maintain a 1.45 ERA in her eight pitching appearances in the month and posted a 4-1 record with a save. She had a 20-4 strikeout to walk ratio.
Jordan posted a dominant opening month of the baseball season with a .488 batting average and a pair of home runs. The left fielder had 11 RBIs and seven doubles in the 12 games.
Awards for March went to softball’s Marissa Lilly and track and field’s Aaron Miller.
Lilly patrols center field for the Red Devils and during March held down the No. 2 spot in the lineup.
She hit .340 in the month with 16 runs scored and 14 RBIs. She also hit a home run during March.
Miller represented the track team. He is the school-record holder in the outdoor 800-meter run with a 1:53.18.
THE SOFTBALL team had its games that were originally scheduled for Monday at Labette County Community College rescheduled to Wednesday, because of the weather.
First pitch of the doubleheader will be at 2 p.m.