FAYETTEVILLE — Two Scotland High graduates are currently playing college softball. Both of those athletes — Kelsey Smith of Methodist University and Ashlyn Dial of St. Andrews University — were on the same field when their teams clashed on Tuesday.
Smith and the Monarchs won both sides of a doubleheader with the Knights.
Smith drew a walk in the first game, which Methodist won 5-2. She also laid down a sacrifice bunt. In the second game, a 13-11 win for the Monarchs, the senior first baseman finished 2-for-4 at the plate with one run scored.
Dial scored a run after being hit by a pitch in the first game of the twinbill. The senior outfielder ended the day by driving in two runs and scoring two more in the second game.
Dial also logged a stolen base in both games.
As of Wednesday morning, Smith’s career collegiate batting average is .288. She is in her third year of being a routine contributor for the Monarchs. She is coming off a strong junior campaign in which she batted .315 with 14 RBI.
In her four years at Scotland High, Smith played softball and volleyball.
Dial is back in action after being away from the SAU softball team last season. She posted 16 RBI and 16 stolen bases while batting .241 as a sophomore. As a freshman Dial posted a .294 batting average with 18 RBI and 12 stolen bases.
In high school, Dial was a standout basketball and softball player. She was an all-conference softball player in 2016, and she earned three all-conference awards on the basketball court.
Two other local players competed in Tuesday’s game. Richmond Senior High School graduates Carleigh Haywood and Samantha Jacobs are on Methodist’s roster.
St. Andrews is slated to play at University of South Carolina-Beaufort this weekend. The Knights will return home for a doubleheader with Converse College on Feb. 10. First pitch is scheduled for noon.
Methodist is also on the road this weekend. The next chance to catch them on their home field is Feb. 15, when they host Messiah College for an 11 a.m. doubleheader.
