Upstate Softball Inks Easley's Campbell Sisters
5/27/2008 12:00:00 AM | Softball
May 27, 2008
Spartanburg, S.C. - Opposing coaches may think they are seeing double when they play the USC Upstate softball team in 2009, but they would be wrong as twin sisters Emily and Erin Campbell have signed national letters of intent to play softball for head coach Chris Hawkins.
With the signing of the Campbell sisters, Hawkins has signed nine newcomers for the 2009 season. The nine newcomers will join a strong nucleus of returning players for Upstate's second season of play as members of NCAA Division I and the Atlantic Sun Conference. In its first season, the Spartans won a share of the regular season A-Sun championship with a 16-6 league record and finished with a 34-15 overall mark.
Emily and Erin Campbell have been standouts on Easley High School's softball team. The twins from Easley, S.C., have been members of the varsity team for six seasons, leading Easley to five appearances in the 4A State Playoffs. They helped lead the Green Wave to a 24-5 record and an appearance in the championship game of the District II tournament in 2008, the District III tournament in 2006 and the District I tournament in 2005. The team advanced to the semifinals of the District III tournament in 2004 and the District IV tournament in 2003.
"I look forward to having Emily and Erin in the program," said Hawkins. "Both are all-around athletes and we expect to be able to use their athleticism in a variety of roles on the team. They are great students who should be solid additions to our program and the University."
Emily Campbell has been a standout catcher for Easley the last six seasons. An Region I-AAAA All-Region selection in 2008, she finished the season hitting .300 with a .427 slugging percentage and a .344 on base percentage. She was solid defensively, finishing with a .991 fielding percentage. She was named the team's Best Defensive Player in 2006. Also accomplished in the classroom, she is a member of the National Honor's Society, Mu Alpha Theta, Spanish National Honor Society and is a USC Upstate Junior Scholar. In addition to softball, she lettered four times in volleyball and once in basketball as a solid all-around athlete.
Erin Campbell has been a standout outfielder for Easley for six seasons. She earned all-region honors in 2003 and 2008 and was named the Best Offensive Player in 2005 and 2006. As a senior, she hit .417 with four doubles, three triples and three home runs. She drove in 15 RBIs on the year and scored 21 runs. She also was a threat on the base paths, finishing the year with 12 stolen bases in 13 attempts. She turned in a perfect year in the field without committing an error. In addition to her prowess on the softball diamond, she has been strong in the classroom. She is a member of the National Honor Society, Spanish National Honor Society and was named Best of the Class as a freshman. An all-around athlete, she also lettered four times in volleyball and once in basketball.
The Campbell sisters join Sydney Bartha (Fr., OF, Vaughn, Ontario), Monica Hall (Jr., Ceres, Calif.), Amber Hamilton (Fr., P, Atlanta, Ga.), Janna Lewis (Fr., SS, Charlotte, N.C.), Katelyn Molkenthin (Fr., OF, Valrico, Fla.), Dani Taylor (Fr., UTL, Simpsonville, S.C.) and Rebecca Williams (Fr., C, Simpsonville, S.C.) as signees for the upcoming season.
