Talk about a tough out.

North Springs senior Kali Gray, the Neighbor Player of the Year, wasn’t just hard to get out this season — statistically, the opposing pitcher was better off flipping a coin.

Gray finished her senior season with a sizzling .614 batting average, reached base at a .693 clip, had a slugging percentage of 1.011, hit three home runs and drove in 25 runs to lead the Spartans to the playoffs for the second straight season.

"The one thing about her success offensively is that Kali approaches each at-bat the same way," said North Springs coach Sarah Coleman. "She is very serious about her offensive productivity. She learned to be aggressive when she needed to be, and patient when she needed to be. The one thing that I liked about Kali is that she always knew the situation that we were in as a team and took that into consideration."

Though traditionally a third baseman, she was called on to pitch for North Springs because of inexperience at the position and won 10 games and struck out 110 batters, both school records. When she wasn’t pitching, she was defending her third base position well (.912 fielding percentage).

She saved some of her best offensive production for last, getting hits in 16 of her final 18 at-bats (.889 average) during region and state tournament play, including two home runs and seven doubles. The Spartans advanced out of Region 5-AAA to the first round of the Class AAA state sectional playoffs before falling to LaGrange.

On the mound, Neighbor Pitcher of the Year honors went to Lovett senior Jordan Wolfe, who shouldered the load for the Lions and helped them advance to the second round of the Class AA playoffs, the best run of any local team.

She went 22-8 with a 1.93 earned run average and struck out 152 hitters, and Lovett coach Mark Bagwell lauded the time and effort she put in to make herself into an ace.

Other significant standouts from the fall included Pace Academy junior shortstop Amber Easley, who made the All-Area Region 5-A First Team for the third straight year after hitting .452, driving in 28 runs, scoring 33 and slugging four home runs. Westminster shortstop Nicole Dayhoff had one of the best offensive campaigns in program history, hitting .556 and slugging .833 with three home runs, 25 RBIs and 28 runs scored.

Lovett second baseman Sade Sims was a constant spark, hitting .441 and scoring 34 runs, and speedy North Springs outfielder Danesha Simpkins hit .476, stole 11 bases in 11 attempts and was noted by the school for her keen ability in center field to turn what looked like extra-base hits into flyouts.

All-Area Softball

First Team

Name (Position)                School
Lauren Hadley (C)           Pace Academy
Lindsey Zwecker (1B)      Pace Academy
Sade Sims (2B)               Lovett
Kali Gray (3B/P)              North Springs
Amber Easley (SS)          Pace Academy
Nicole Dayhoff (SS)        Westminster
Danesha Simpkins (OF)  North Springs
Jordan Wolfe (P)           Lovett
Michelle Bonnot (P)      Westminster

Second Team

Name (Position)                   School
Maggie Wellborn (C)             Westminster
Tatiana Nettles (C)               Lovett
Veronica Burse (1B/P)           Riverwood
Samantha Lunsford (2B)      North Atlanta
Caroline Deisley (3B)             Lovett
Kelly Scalf (SS)                     Lovett
Sammy Martinez (SS)           Galloway
Sarah Venable (OF)              Holy Innocents’
Maggie Schwartzmiller (OF) North Atlanta
Ansley McGhee (P)               Holy Innocents’
Cooper Killen (P)                  Galloway
Maryellen Malone (P)           Pace Academy

Player of the Year: Kali Gray, North Springs
Pitcher of the Year: Jordan Wolfe, Lovett

The All-Area team was largely based on nominations from area coaches.