Lee County’s Ashley Nichols named Albany Herald Softball Player of the Year

LEESBURG — A ball, a bat, a glove and most importantly, hard work and a love for the game.

Those are the tools necessary for any softball player to make it to the top. These are the tools that have propelled Lee County senior third-baseman/center fielder Ashley Nichols to be named the 2014 Albany Herald Softball Player of the Year.

Throughout the 2014 season, Nichols produced in the clutch for the Lady Trojans. She was Lee County’s best offensive player with a batting average of .415.

While there were others who had higher averages, Nichols shined when it counted the most. She batted .483 with runners in scoring position. She was tied for second on the team with 23 RBIs, but she knocked in 11 of those RBIs with two outs, the epitome of clutch hitting.

When asked how she was able to produce with clutch hits when her team needed it most, Nichols couldn’t explain it.

“I don’t know … really and truly, I don’t know,” she said. “I just hit it and hope for the best.”

Nichols took up softball at six years old. Her mother, Carla Knight, said Nichols has always had a love for the game.

“She’s always taken control in the field,” Knight said. “Her head is always in the game. She hardly ever knows the score of the game. She’s in a zone, that’s pretty much about all I can say. The field is her home. She loves it. A lot of these girls don’t get any recognition. Softball doesn’t get much recognition. She’s worked really hard and she’s come out strong this year. We’re really proud of her.”

In addition to being the Lady Trojans’ top offensive player, Nichols has been their best defensive player as well. She finished the season with a fielding percentage of .958 and committed two errors.

“Ashley started out playing third base for us, but we had some weakness in our outfield and we needed to strengthen our outfield,” Lee County coach Dewayne Suggs said. “By moving Ashley to center field, it gave us somebody who is capable of running down balls and a great arm in the outfield. She did a tremendous job.”

Perhaps the biggest attribute Nichols brought to the Lady Trojans can be summed up by Suggs.

“With Ashley, it’s always team first,” he said. “You can ask her to play any position and she’s not going to tell you no. It’s team first with her. It’s never Ashley before the team.”

Nichols’ teammate — junior pitcher Chelsea Morrow — said Nichols has always been supportive.

“Ashley’s always been a great teammate,” Morrow said. “She was on your side whether you were winning, whether you were losing, whether you were messing up, she was always there for you. She loved playing in the dirt and you knew she was going to catch a ball if it came her way. She’s a die-hard player and she’s someone you want on your team.”

First-baseman Sydney McLain said Nichols is a player who goes all out to make plays in the field.

“She always tries hard for every ball hit toward her,” McLain said. “Off the field, she is always cheering for the next person up to bat, always in the game.”

Shortstop Ashley Morris said Nichols is dedicated.

“Ashley (Nichols) doesn’t care about anything but softball, playing the game,” Morris said. “She loves the dirt.”

As a four-year starter, Nichols has had many memorable games. But Suggs said there is one he recalls.

“In 2013 in the state playoffs, Nichols was pretty much responsible for us hanging on and winning the game against Richmond Hill,” Suggs said. “With the bases loaded and two outs, she had a line drive hit to her left, she laid out for it, got up and crawled to third to get the runner coming from second to third just by a hair length, and we were able to move on to the second round of the state playoffs.”

Junior Danielle Davis doubled as a pitcher and a right fielder for the Lady Trojans. She said that Nichols’ aggressiveness in the field goes back to their childhood.

“I’ve played ball with Ashley since we were little, and every time, she’s always after the ball any time it comes her way,” Davis said. “She’s never really down, always up about herself and everybody else, just an all-around good player.”

Nichols is undecided on college. But one thing is for certain — she just wants to keep playing the game she loves.