By By KEVIN TRAVIS
Sports Editor
Charity Watson and Tiffany Frey are World Series-bound.
The two former area stars helped lead the Pitt Community Bulldogs to a Region X Conference regular-season and tournament championship. The National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) World Series will be played May 20-22 in St. George, Utah.
Watson, a former star at Washington High School, is a freshman pitcher with the Bulldogs.
She is 31-5 with a 0.42 ERA this season. Watson has fanned 431 and walked 103 in 250 2/3 innings. She has allowed just 75 hits in 44 games. Watson is second in ERA among NJCAA Division I pitchers. Her strikeout total and win total is tops among Division I pitchers.
Watson is averaging 1.72 strikeouts per inning, which ranks second in the nation.
Frey, a former standout at Jamesville High School, is a sophomore third baseman with the Bulldogs.
She is hitting .243 (17 for 70) this season. One of her hits went for a triple. She has scored 19 runs and has 12 RBIs. Frey has also stolen seven bases.
Watson, Frey and the rest of the Bulldogs are seeking donations to help fund the softball team’s trip to Utah. PCC relies on contributions from generous contributors.
The cost for each player, which includes air fare, hotel and food, is about $1,500. Anyone wanting to support the program may do so by sending a check written to PCC Foundation, and sent to Pitt Community College , c/o athletics, PO Drawer 7007, Greenville, NC, 27835.
MEREDITH KNOX
Meredith Knox was just as impressive in the classroom as she was on the softball field.
The former Washington Pam Pack star, who had a brilliant career with the Anderson Trojans, was named to the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District softball first-team.
Knox, who majored in theology and religion, carried a 3.90 grade point average. She was named an NFCA Scholar Athlete earlier this year and also earned academic all-conference honors.
In order to earn recognition, a student-athlete must be a starter or important reserve with at least a 3.30 cumulative grade point average (on a 4.0 scale) at his/her current institution.
Knox finished her career hitting better than .380 with 40 homers, 106 RBIs and over 200 hits. That included 51 doubles over four seasons. Knox also scored close to 150 runs.
As a senior, where she earned First Team conference honors, Knox hit a team-best .418 with 11 home runs (eighth in the conference) and 40 RBIs.
She had 13 doubles (third in the league) and two triples among her 56 hits, which tied for the team lead and was eighth highest in the conference. Knox scored a team-high 43 runs (third in the league) and stole six bases.
As first-team all-district selection, Knox is eligible for consideration nationally as an academic All-American. District III (college division) includes all non-NCAA Division I schools (Division II, III and NAIA) in Florida, Georgia, Virginia and North and South Carolina.
NICOLE JORDAN
Nicole Jordan, a former star at Jamesville High School, is playing with the East Carolina Pirates.
Jordan is hitting .213 (13 for 61) this season. The senior has one home run, four doubles, has knocked in seven and scored 12 times.
Jordan and the Pirates, fresh off winning the Conference USA regular-season title, open the C-USA Tournament as the top seed.
COLLEGE BASEBALL
TRENT WHITEHEAD
Trent Whitehead, a former star at Washington High School, is playing at East Carolina.
The junior leadoff batter is hitting .320 with two home runs and 24 RBIs. Whitehead has 14 doubles among his 63 hits. The hit total is second highest on the Pirates.
Whitehead has stolen a team-best 14 bases, and has scored 46 runs, which is second highest on the team.
RYAN ZIMMERMAN
Ryan Zimmerman, a Washington native, is playing with the Washington Nationals.
Zimmerman, in his fifth full season with the Nationals, is hitting .325. The third baseman has clubbed five homers and knocked in 15 runs. He has 11 doubles among his 25 hits.
COLLEGE TRACK
JAMONT JONES
Jamont Jones, a former star at Washington High School, is a member of the Lenoir-Rhyne track team.
Jones placed eighth in the 400-meter dash (51.12 seconds) to give the Bears a point in the Southeast Regional Championships.
Jones helped the 400-meter relay team place second, finishing in 42.20 seconds.