College Softball News – Guilford’s Hayes Leads NCAA Division III With .540 Batting Average

GREENSBORO, N.C. – Guilford College junior Cynthia Hayes (Seagrove, N.C./Southwestern Randolph) leads the country with a .540 batting average according to the latest NCAA Division III statistical rankings. The NCAA’s second weekly report includes games through March 17 and those students with a minimum of 50 plate appearances and 2.5 appearances per game played.

Cynthia Hayes 2014

Hayes, a 5-6 infielder, had 27 hits in 50 at-bats through the Quakers’ first 15 games. Her .540 batting average stood ahead of Kaitlyn Doles of Millsaps College and Keelin Dougherty of Bay Path College, who shared second place at .524. Hayes also ranked among Division III’s best with a .558 on-base percentage (9th) and a .680 slugging percentage (36th). Her 0.47 stolen bases per game average stood 60th nationally.

Hayes continued her torrid hitting in the Quakers’ four contests at this week’s Fastpitch Dreams Spring Classic in Myrtle Beach. She extended her hitting streak to a school-record 21 games (dating to 2012) and hit 8-for-11 (.727) with a homer and nine RBI. Hayes had a grand slam in the Quakers’ 14-10 loss to Frostburg State University Mar. 20, accounting for four of her career-high five RBI in the game. She leads the Quakers in runs (20), doubles (6), triples (2), RBI (16) and stolen bases (10).

Coach Dennis Shores’ team is 11-9 overall and 0-6 in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference. The Quakers visit league-rivals Eastern Mennonite University (3/23) and Bridgewater College (3/24) this weekend.