Announcing the 2024 Franklin Free Press All-Franklin County Softball Team
2024 Franklin Free Press All-Franklin County Softball Team
C - Caleigh Lawson, Fr., Belgreen
C - Emma Blackburn, Red Bay
INF - Macey Welborn, Sr., Phil Campbell
INF - Brooklyn Butler, Soph., Russellville
INF - Hannah Borden, Sr., Belgreen
INF - Lexi Little, Soph., Tharptown
OF - Paislee James, Sr., Russellville
OF - Aubryn Scott, Soph., Belgreen
UTIL - Alyssa Fischer, Soph. Tharptown
UTIL - Shiloh Madden, Fr., Phil Campbell
P - Jacey Moore, Sr., Russellville
P - Hannah Butler, Red Bay
P - Aimee Jo Shotts, Jr., Vina
Honorable Mention
C - Emma Campbell, Sr., Russellville
C - Harleigh Borden, Sr., Tharptown
INF - Morgan Vandiver, Sr., Belgreen
INF - McKenna Young, Red Bay
INF - Ally Gann, 7th, Tharptown
INF - Lana Bell, Fr., Vina
INF - Braxtyn Quinn, Soph., Vina
OF - Jazmyn Pearson, Red Bay
UTIL - Siddalee Rogers, Jr., Phil Campbell
P - Addi James, Fr., Phil Campbell
P - Lily Blackburn, Sr., Belgreen
The Franklin Free Press is happy to present its 2024 All-Franklin County Softball Team, represented by players from all six schools in the county. All players were nominated by the head coaches of each team. The FFP’s all-county squad consists of 13 players with 11 honorable mentions.
Belgreen’s Lady Bulldogs had five all-county selections—three First Team players and two Honorable Mentions. First Team catcher Caleigh Lawson, a freshman, played in 44 games for Belgreen this season and had just one error behind the plate. At the plate, Lawson showed power with four home runs and was one of the leaders on the team with 30 RBI. Also getting a spot on the First Team is senior Hannah Borden, who played third base for Belgreen. Borden had 48 hits and a .421 batting average in 44 games played. Borden ended her season with 13 doubles, a home run, 32 RBI, and 35 runs scored, as well as 16 stolen bases in 16 attempts. Rounding out the First Team for Belgreen is outfielder Aubryn Scott. Scott played in 44 games for Belgreen and ended the year with a .336 batting average. The sophomore was a team leader in runs scored with 39, and she also had a 100 percent success rate stealing bases, swiping 18 bags in 18 attempts. Defensively, Scott had only two errors all season. Belgreen’s two Honorable Mentions are Morgan Vandiver and Lily Blackburn. Vandiver, the senior shortstop for the Lady Bulldogs, hit .327 this season and tallied 24 RBI and 34 runs scored. Lily Blackburn, a senior in the circle, finished with a 10-10 record and a 4.11 ERA in 114 innings pitched. She also struck out 58 batters and allowed 67 earned runs.
Phil Campbell had two First Team selections, senior Macey Welborn and freshman Shiloh Madden; and two honorable mentions, freshman Addi James and junior Siddalee Rogers. Welborn, playing first base for the Bobcats, played in 30 games and ended her final season with a .450 batting average and a .571 on-base percentage. At first base, she had a .955 fielding percentage with only four errors. Madden, a utility player for Phil Campbell, had a great year at the plate: she batted .430 with an on-base percentage of .500 in 79 at-bats, and she ended the year with 20 RBI and 19 runs scored. Freshman Addi James was an Honorable Mention pitcher. In the circle she ended with a 6-11 record, tossing 118 and two-thirds innings and striking out 71 batters. Honorable Mention Siddalee Rogers, playing second base for the Bobcats, ended the year with a .390 batting average and was a terror on the base paths, swiping 28 bags.
Red Bay is represented by First Team pitcher Hannah Butler, who finished the season with 158 strikeouts, allowing 57 earned runs in 145 and a third innings pitched for a 3.54 ERA. Red Bay catcher Emma Blackburn also earned a spot on the First Team. Shortstop McKenna Young and outfielder Jazmyn Pearson received honorable mentions. The four Lady Tigers selected to the all-county team helped Red Bay to a postseason appearance and a 17-18-1 overall record.
Representing Russellville are seniors Jacey Moore, Paislee James, and Emma Campbell and sophomore Brooklyn Butler. Moore, also named the coaches’ Class 5A All-Area 16 Defensive MVP, was a force in the circle for the Lady Golden Tigers this season. In 188 and a third innings pitched, she put together a 19-11 record, recorded one save, had a 2.19 ERA, and allowed just 173 hits and 59 earned runs while striking out 260 batters. Paislee James, another member of the First Team, was one of the Lady Golden Tigers’ top offensive performers with 49 hits, 36 runs scored, and 25 stolen bases. James, who finished with a .340 batting average, was no slouch in centerfield, either, committing just two errors all season. Russellville’s final member of the First Team is Brooklyn Butler, who played first base for the Lady Golden Tigers. Butler finished with a .340 batting average and her 49 hits included three home runs and seven doubles; she had 28 RBI. Emma Campbell rounds out Russellville’s selections as an Honorable Mention. Campbell finished the season with 25 hits and 14 RBI at the plate, and behind it she had an impressive .988 fielding percentage.
Tharptown had four selections with two on the First Team and two honorable mentions. Sophomores Alyssa Fischer and Lexi Little made the First Team in utility and infield roles, respectively. Fischer hit .512 and had 42 singles, nine doubles, a triple and a home run for the Lady Wildcats; she drew 13 walks and had 19 RBI, as well. Little batted .474 on the season with 36 singles, two doubles, six home runs, and 36 RBI. Senior catcher Harleigh Borden, who batted .345 on the year, was an honorable mention, alongside seventh grade infielder Ally Gann, who played third base for the Lady Wildcats.
Vina was represented by junior Aimee Jo Shotts, sophomore Braxtyn Quinn, and freshman Lana Bell. Vina’s First Team selection is pitcher Aimee JO Shotts, who had a 3.09 ERA and 64 strikeouts in 92 innings pitched this season. An Honorable Mention, Quinn finished the year with a .456 batting average hitting eight doubles, two triples, and knocked in 22 runs. She also stole 16 bases for the Lady Red Devils. Bell had eight doubles, four triples, and a home run this season, hitting .438 for the year. She finished with 18 RBI and stole 17 bases.