Bellmont stars earn NE8 recognition

Between baseball and softball, five Bellmont student-athletes earned a spot on the All-Northeast Eight Conference teams.

The NE8 announced its selections earlier in the week with two Bellmont baseball players and three softball players being honored.

On the baseball diamond, Eli Laurent earned one of two pitcher spots on the All-NE8 first team. Laurent, a senior, was stellar all year for the Braves, but he saved his best performance for the state tournament, throwing a no-hitter in the sectional semifinals against Maconaquah last Saturday in the Braves’ 3-0 win.

Infielder Andrew James was also recognized when he earned All-NE8 honorable mention. James was a defensive stalwart all year for the Braves. He will be back to lead the infield once more as a senior next spring.

Bellmont softball earned plenty of recognition for the outstanding seasons three members of the squad put together.

Piper Baker capped off her stellar Bellmont career by earning a spot as a pitcher on the second team. Baker constantly gave hitters trouble, but she also helped out her own cause by leading the squad in runs batted in.

Her catcher, Emily Bleke, also earned a second team selection. Only a sophomore, Bleke was solid both behind and at the plate. She notched 37 hits this past season, three of which were home runs.

Taylor Bauer also hit a trio of home runs, helping her earn AllConference honorable mention.