NASHVILLE — Hailey Hunt and Jace Jackson were each recognized for their outstanding performances ahead of the OVC Tournament, as voted on by league head coaches and communications directors. Hunt was named to the All-OVC Second Team and the All-Newcomer Team, while Jackson earned a spot on the All-Newcomer Team.
In her debut collegiate season, Hunt posted a .308 batting average across 44 games, starting 42. She recorded 37 hits in 120 at-bats, including four doubles and two triples, while driving in 14 runs. She also tallied a .375 on-base percentage and went a perfect 3-for-3 in stolen base attempts.
Hunt elevated her game during conference play, leading the Tigers with a .370 batting average and a .453 on-base percentage in 26 OVC games. She collected 27 hits in 73 at-bats, including four doubles and a triple, while driving in 14 runs. Her conference slugging percentage stood at an impressive .452.
Her standout efforts were recognized during the week ending March 31, when she was named OVC Co-Player of the Week for her offensive contributions.
Defensively, Hunt patrolled the outfield with poise, finishing the OVC play with 10 putouts and one assist, and a .917 fielding percentage. The sophomore from Locust Grove, Georgia—who transferred from the University of Pittsburgh—quickly emerged as a key piece of TSU's lineup, leading the team in several offensive categories.
Jackson also made a strong impression in her first season with the Tigers. She led TSU batted .336 with 47 hits in 44 starts. She scored a team-best 33 runs, and added 30 RBIs, second only to Onnika Spencer. Jackson also tallied eight doubles, one triple, and eight stolen bases.
She closed the regular season in dramatic fashion, belting three home runs over the final two games, including a three-run walk-off homer in the bottom of the seventh to lift TSU past third-seeded Southeast Missouri.
Defensively, Jackson was a steady presence in the infield, finishing with 79 putouts, 75 assists, and involvement in nine double plays.
The Tigers enter the OVC Tournament as the No. 6 seed and will face No. 7 seed Tennessee Tech on Wednesday at 10 a.m. TSU took two of three games from the Golden Eagles to open OVC play in early March.
