Sarah Priester helped spark a 3-0 week for the Newberry softball team.
The junior C/1B/OF batted .667 with 12 runs batted in, including two doubles and two triples. She also scored eight runs and was 6-for-6 in putouts.
She has been recognized as the Pavlik Orthodontics Athlete of the Week for the week of March 25.
“Sarah is, first, a student of the game,” said Newberry coach Michele Roundtree. “She understands strategy and fundamentals. This allows us to use Sarah in positions all over the field. She starts in one of three spots: outfield, first base or catcher. Her skill and softball smarts make her the perfect utility player.”
In a 27-1 rout of Wildwood in three innings on March 25, Priester finished 2-for-2 with a double, a triple, four runs scored and six RBI.
“It is her work ethic and desire to not be content that has resulted in successes like her three-inning game,” Roundtree said. “She can be a powerful hitter as well as a gap-hitter or expert bunter laying down a timely squeeze. Either way, she provides our team with a consistent threat.”
The next day in an 18-2 win at Dixie County in Cross City she followed that up with a 2-for-4 performance, adding a double, a triple and five RBI.
Priester finished out the week last Thursday by going 2-for-3 with an RBI, three runs scored and a stolen base in a 13-3 win at home against Bronson.
This season she is batting .371 and is second on the team with 18 runs batted in and third with 16 runs scored.
“As a hitter, she has a great eye at the plate and a knack for getting on base and/or creating scoring opportunities for herself and her teammates,” Roundtree said. “As a teammate, Sarah is often the most focused and stoic player. She has a diligent persistence about her. For example, Sarah stayed in the batting cages after a late home game finish. She methodically hit a full bucket of balls off the tee, by herself, until she was satisfied. I had to turn the lights off just to get her to finish up.”
She’s also perfect defensively with 33 putouts in 33 total chances.
Priester played her freshman year and decided she was done playing softball after that season.
“Thankfully, she had a change of heart this year and seems to have found a comfortable niche on our team,” Roundtree said. “Some days she’s the ‘team mom’ making sure everyone’s jersey is tucked right, all the girls are quiet for my instructions, or simply just bossing those who need a little bossing. She is a passionate player and I have watched her mature from the start of this season, managing her own high expectations by putting the goals of the team first.”
Roundtree said that Priester enjoys working with kids and teaching the game of softball, taking it upon herself to help a few of the youth players who have attended their games or watched their practices.
“If she so chooses, I can see Sarah being a natural coach or teacher,” Roundtree said. “As her coach, I couldn’t ask for anything more than to have a talented, smart player like Sarah operate selflessly for her team. It is certainly what we want in a future leader for our building Panther softball program.”
Priester is the 32nd athlete to be selected for the weekly award during the 2023-24 school year.
Last week’s winner was Evan Fleming of the Buchholz boys track and field team.
The senior broke the school track and field record in the 800m last weekend at the FSU Relays in Tallahassee with a time of 1:52.03, breaking the previous record set in 1976. It was the 2nd fastest time in the state this year and 9th fastest in the nation.
Other recent winners include Kennith Martin of the Eastside boys track & field team and Addison Allaire of the Trenton softball team.
For a complete list of winners, click here.
Coaches are encouraged to email their nominations each week, along with stats, no later than Sunday night to mike.ridaught@mainstreetdailynews.com.