BATON ROUGE – Junior outfielder Aliyah Andrews and graduate transfer infielder Amanda Sanchez have been named to the 2019 Preseason All-SEC team the league announced Thursday morning.
LSU is one of three teams (Alabama, Florida) to have two representatives on the team, while Arkansas, Auburn, Georgia, Kentucky, Ole Miss, Mississippi State, South Carolina and Tennessee all had one player named to the team. In a class-by-class breakdown, the 2019 team consists of eight seniors, three juniors and three sophomores.
The Preseason All-SEC Softball Team is voted on by the league’s head coaches and consists of a minimum of 14 players. Each SEC head coach voted for five infielders, four outfielders, three pitchers, one catcher and one designated player/utility. No ties were broken.
Andrews, a 2018 Second Team All-SEC and SEC All-Defensive Team selection, started all 62 games for the Tigers as the premier left fielder in 2018. She recorded a team-leading 71 hits and 35 runs to go along with a team-high .329 batting average. Andrews had a historic season on the bases in 2018, amassing 42 stolen bases on 44 attempts, which is the second-most all-time in LSU history.
Sanchez. A 2018 All-SEC Defensive Team selection, transferred to LSU for the 2019 season after graduating from Missouri. In 2018, Sanchez served as one of Missouri’s most consistent and dangerous hitters as she reset single-season career-highs in average (.374), runs scores (31), doubles (10), on-base percentage (.500) and slugging percentage (.671). She finished fourth among the league in on-base percentage and tied for ninth in average and slugging percentage. She committed just one error on 72 total attempts in SEC play, registering a .986 fielding percentage.
LSU finished the 2018 season with a 45-17 overall record after falling to Florida State in the Tallahassee Super Regional. The Tigers return 14 letterwinners to the 2019 squad and add 10 newcomers to the roster.
The Tigers kick off the 2019 season on February 7 with the Tigers Classic. LSU will play host to Tulsa, Iowa and Bucknell in its first week of competition. LSU will host three nonconference tournaments, four SEC weekend series and six midweek contests against state and regional opponents.
Single-game tickets for the 2019 LSU softball season are now on sale through the LSU Ticket Office and online at LSUtix.net. For more information on the 2019 softball schedule, click here.
2019 Preseason All-SEC Team
Name, School, Position, Class, Hometown
Alyssa DiCarlo, Georgia, IF, Sr., Glendale, Ariz.
Katie Reed, Kentucky, IF, Sr., St. Louis, Mo.
Amanda Sanchez, LSU, IF, Sr., West Covina, Calif.
Mackenzie Boesel, South Carolina, IF, Jr., Yorba Linda, Calif.
Aubrey Leach, Tennessee, IF, Sr., The Woodlands, Texas
Kaylee Tow, Alabama, OF, So., Madisonville, Ky.
Amanda Lorenz, Florida, OF, Sr., Moorpark, Calif.
Aliyah Andrews, LSU, OF, Jr., Oldsmar, Fla.
Kylan Becker, Ole Miss, OF, Sr., Miami, Fla.
Mary Haff, Arkansas, P, So., Winter Haven, Fla.
Makayla Martin, Auburn, P, Sr., San Diego, Calif.
Kelly Barnhill, Florida, P, Sr., Marietta, Ga.
Mia Davidson, Mississippi State, C, So., Hillsborough, N.C.
Bailey Hemphill, Alabama, DP/UT, Jr., Lafayette, La.
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