Softball 2/7/2020 9:55:00 AM CU Athletics

Lady Tiger Softball Preview: Four All-Conference infielders return for 2020 season

CAMPBELLSVILLE, Ky. — With the softball season 11 days away, Lady Tiger softball is returning 16 players from last season's club and over the next week we'll breakdown the infielders, outfielders and pitchers before Opening Day on February 18.

Campbellsville opens the season on Tuesday, Feb. 18 at Brescia University with a doubleheader set to begin at 4 p.m. ET. Fans can tune into the CU Sports Network for coverage.

Of the 16 returners, the Lady Tigers bring back four of the five everyday infield positions – all four of them being All Mid-South Conference performers in 2019.

Tori Humphrey – Senior – 3B

Humphrey, a three-time All-Conference performer, the 2017 MSC Freshman of the Year and a 2018 NFCA Second-Team All-American, ranks third in Lady Tiger history with a career .384 average.
She hit .450 her freshman campaign with eight home runs, 43 RBI and slugged .738.
Her power numbers were better her sophomore and junior years. She hit 10 homers during her sophomore year and 11 last season while hitting .386 in 2018.
The lone downfall was the ACL injury Humphrey suffered in April 2018 during the last regular season series against Lindsey Wilson. She rehabbed all offseason and came back in 2019 with 11 homers and 42 RBI, but her averaged dipped to .312 and she struck out a career-high 33 times.
Defensively, Humphrey has manned the hot corner at third base. She's tallied 394 assists in her career – which is fifth in LTS history - with a fielding percentage of .918.
Overall, Humphrey also ranks third in LTS history with a career slugging percentage of .681 and tied for sixth in home runs with 29.

Mia Aldridge – Senior – 1B

A two-time All-Conference performer, Aldridge has played multiple positions during her career, but her last stop has been at first base – where she played 44 games last season.
She started the first six games in centerfield and found a home at first base.
A career .317 hitter, Aldridge had her best season to date during her junior campaign. After coming off an injury her sophomore season, she hit .336 with nine home runs and 26 RBI.
Her 19 career home runs is just outside the Lady Tiger softball Top 10.
Aldridge has played left field, centerfield and first base during her career while also seeing eight innings in the pitching circle during her first two seasons.

Ryley Whitney – Junior – C

One of the best catchers to come through the program will work as the battery-mate for the pitching staff for the third straight season.
Whitney, one of the many Lady Tigers that prepped at Allen County-Scottsville, has proven to be one of the best behind the plate. Only committing three errors in two seasons, Whitney has also thrown out 15 would-be base stealers.
She's helped bolster a pitching staff the last two seasons that has record sub-three ERAs.
Not only is she one of the best catchers to ever dawn the maroon and gray, Whitney is also a career .341 hitter.
She hit a career-high nine home runs last season and has totaled 77 career RBI during her first two years. In 2019, Whitney also slugged a career-high .621.
Her 31 career doubles currently are tied for 10^th in Lady Tiger softball history.

Riley Hurst – Sophomore – SS

Hurst, a second-team All-Conference performer last season, started in all 50 games last season and hit .315 and clubbed 11 home runs and 46 RBI during her rookie campaign.
The highlight of her season individually came in Gulf Shores, Alabama during the Gulf Coast Invitational against Culver Stockton. She went 4-for-4 with two doubles and seven RBI.
The 11 home runs matched Humphrey and Payton Blades with team-high honors – they ranked 29^th in the NAIA.
Defensively, Hurst finished with only 13 errors last season for a percentage of .929.

Hannah Judd – Sophomore – Utility

Starting in 46 of the 49 games she saw action in, Judd returns after finishing fourth-highest in batting average last season for Campbellsville.
She hit .333 with seven home runs, 25 RBI and nine doubles.
Judd saw action in the outfield and infield last season and provides options for head coach Shannon Wathen defensively.
Defensively, she finished without an error during her freshman campaign.
In high school, Judd was a two-sport star for Green County High School earning Class A Player of the Year and 5th Region Player of the Year. She's expected to have a breakout sophomore campaign in 2020.

Dana Adkins – Senior – 2B / Utility

Adkins has played second and third base over her career – but is mainly a second basemen. She manned second last season, splitting time with then-senior Kelly Wheeler, with 27 starts up the middle and hit .186.
A career .236 hitter, she's the leading candidate to begin the season at second.

Paige Dabney – Senior – 1B

After transferring from Bellarmine University to start her junior campaign, Dabney finished seeing action in 11 games last season, recording a double.
During her time at Bellarmine, Dabney hit two home runs and tallied 14 RBI her sophomore campaign.
She will provide depth at first base and off the bench as a pinch hitter.

Keisha Curry – Sophomore – C

Curry is a solid defensive catching backup for the Lady Tigers. She saw action in 19 games last season with seven starts to spare Ryley Whitney behind the plate.
She's still looking for her first-career hit as she finished with 10 at bats in 2019 and walked in five of those at bats.

Newcomers to provide depth:

Sam McKee – Junior – Catcher / CF
- A transfer from Illinois Central College and a Congerville, Ill. product, McKee was a captain and two-time Academic All-American and was named to the NFCA Leadoff Classic All-Tournament Team.
- Last season, she hit .304 with six home runs, 27 RBI and seven doubles for Illinois Central. She also led the team with 11 stolen bases.
- McKee will be the No. 2 catcher this spring and also see time in centerfield.
Addie Young – Freshman – Utility
- In her final three years at Marshall County High School, Young earned 4th District honors in 2017 and 2018 and earned All-Region honors in 2015 and 2018. She was also named to the All-Purchase Team in 2017 and 2018.
- Academically, Young earned Academic All-State in 2018.
- She's providing depth at first base this season.
Madison Davis – Freshman – Utility
- Davis attended Franklin-Simpson High School and her career was highlighted by a Class 2A Second Team All-State honor in 2019.
- She was also a three-time selection to the 4th Region All-Tournament Team (2016, 2018, 2019) and was a 4th Region Pre-Season First Team selection in 2018 and 2019.
- Davis was also named as a five time All-13th District Season team member (2015, 2016, 2017. 2018, 2019).

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Players Mentioned

#10 Dana Adkins: INF.; 5' 3"; Junior; Sedalia, Ky.

#4 Mia Aldridge: LF; 5' 7"; Junior; Lawrenceburg, Ky.

#9 Tori Humphrey: 3B; 5' 8"; Junior; Paducah, Ky.

#18 Kelly Wheeler: 2B; 5' 0"; Senior; Fisherville, Ky.

#15 Ryley Whitney: C; 5' 9"; Sophomore; Scottsville, Ky.

#6 Hannah Judd: INF.; 5' 4"; Freshman; Greensburg, Ky.

#2 Payton Blades: RHP/UTIL; 5' 5"; Freshman; Island, Ky.

#1 Riley Hurst: SS; 5' 11"; Freshman; Baxter, Tenn.

#5 Keisha Curry: C; 5' 6"; Freshman; Sellersburg, Ind.

#8 Paige Dabney: UTIL; 5' 9"; Junior; Campbellsville, Ky.

Players Mentioned

#10 Dana Adkins
: 5' 3"; Junior; Sedalia, Ky.
: INF.

#4 Mia Aldridge
: 5' 7"; Junior; Lawrenceburg, Ky.
: LF

#9 Tori Humphrey
: 5' 8"; Junior; Paducah, Ky.
: 3B

#18 Kelly Wheeler
: 5' 0"; Senior; Fisherville, Ky.
: 2B

#15 Ryley Whitney
: 5' 9"; Sophomore; Scottsville, Ky.
: C

#6 Hannah Judd
: 5' 4"; Freshman; Greensburg, Ky.
: INF.

#2 Payton Blades
: 5' 5"; Freshman; Island, Ky.
: RHP/UTIL

#1 Riley Hurst
: 5' 11"; Freshman; Baxter, Tenn.
: SS

#5 Keisha Curry
: 5' 6"; Freshman; Sellersburg, Ind.
: C

#8 Paige Dabney
: 5' 9"; Junior; Campbellsville, Ky.
: UTIL