Four tabbed for all-state squad

Recently selected by the members of the Tennessee Sportswriters Association (TSWA) to the 2011 All-State squad were four Marshall County high school softballers, including Cornersville seniors Haley Fagan and Lindsey "Lulu" Dalton, along with Forrest junior Brooke Herron and MCHS junior Brianna Roberts.

Fagan, a University of Tennessee signee leads the squad as the Cornersville hurler put up some impressive numbers in the 2010-2011 season, including a 14-5 won loss record in the circle with four shutouts.

Fagan was a force to be reckoned with at the plate for the Lady Bulldogs, sporting a regular season .364 batting average with fourteen doubles, one triple, and four homeruns.

In the post-season, Fagan batted .441 with three doubles and was named the District 11-A Regular Season and Tournament MVP.

Dalton, who will attend UT Chattanooga this fall, but will not continue her softball career, will be remembered for her clutch power hitting, including several dramatic homeruns during her four-year stint under former coach Spencer Mitchell.

The legend of LuLu began in her freshman year when she bashed a walk-off homerun versus Huntington at the TSSAA Spring Fling and in her senior year, Dalton smashed two more game changing round trippers versus Ravenwood at the Coffee County Classic and against Richland in the District Tournament title game.

A versatile player, Dalton moved from third base to behind the plate in her senior campaign and batted .454 in the regular season with 10 doubles, 2 triples, and 1 homerun.

In the post-season, Dalton put up a .387 average with two doubles and one homerun and was a three-time All-District selection.

Both Dalton and Fagan were named to the Middle Tennessee Coaches Association All-Star squad and All-Academic team and in their four years together at Cornersville they led the Lady Dawgs to two state tournament appearances, four district tournament titles, two region tournament crowns and won 112 games and lost 47.

Fagan won the Region MVP in 2009 was recently selected to the Tennessean's 2011 Mid-State Team.

Herron's selection may have been a surprise to many, but not to her opponents, who struggled to put up any offensive numbers versus the tenacious junior who went undefeated in District 9-A play.

Asked to fill some huge cleats in Lady Rocket all-time great Shelby Stinnett in the circle, Herron faced enormous pressure from the outset of the season, but turned out to be rock solid the entire campaign for Forrest.

Herron came through in a big way, finishing the season with a 20-4-1 record, including one no-hitter versus Moore County and eight shutouts while compiling a very stingy 0.71 earned run average.

At the plate, Herron displayed great patience and a great eye, striking out just one time in 70 plate appearances while compiling a .357 batting average, and at the most crucial time of the year late in the season, Herron put together a six-game hitting streak.

Roberts, who moved from shortstop to third base this season was a bulldog on the hot corner for head coach Holly Barnes-Cook and the MCHS Tigerettes.

The power hitting Roberts had several big hits for the Tigerettes' squad and has always displayed a down and dirty, hustling playing style on the field and on the base paths.

Marshall County has put up a 77-34 regular season record, a 33-5 District 12AA mark and has won one District Tournament crown, one Region 5-AA Tournament title, and has made two state sectional appearances with Roberts on the field.