A two-way talent like Jacy Ayers is not all that uncommon in the state of Georgia, especially locally. But to dominate on both ends the way the Banks County senior did is more rare. For her efforts at the plate and in the circle, Ayers earns BLITZ Player of the Year status.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• .518 AVG
• 3 HR
• 43 RBI
• 17 Doubles
• 3 Triples
• 2.76 ERA
• 117 Strikeouts
• 93 IP

Jacy Ayers was fantastic at the plate, slugging 3 homers and driving in 43 runs while collecting 17 doubles and 3 triples – that’s a total of 23 extra base hits – to the tune of a .518 batting average. In the circle, Ayers recorded 117 strikeouts in 93 innings of work, with comes out to 8.8 K/7. Her ERA was a solid 2.76 in the process.

VOTING RESULTS

1. Jacy Ayers – 72 pts (9 1st-place votes)
2. Sierra Burnette – 60.5 pts (6)
3. Paige Vickery – 37.25 pts (2)
4. Natalie Shubert – 21 pts (2)
5. Katelyn Boman – 18.25 pts
6. Taylor Spivey – 12.5 pts
7. Mary Lovell – 10 pts
8. Emma Forester – 6 pts

Voting included our 19-person panel made up of sports reporters, writers, video producers, former coaches, players, GHSA officials, and sports experts. The voting is Heisman-style, with the following points system:
1st place votes: 5 pts; 2nd: 3 pts; 3rd: 2 pts; 4th: 1 pts; 5th-6th: 0.5 pts; 7th-8th 0.25 pts

It was a small gap between Jacy Ayers and Union’s Sierra Burnette. Ayers took 9 1st-place votes to lift her to the award, while Burnette was close behind with 6 1st-place tallies. Paige Vickery and Natalie Shubert both collected a pair of 1st-place votes as well. Ayers appeared 1-3 on every voting member’s ballot, clearing placing her at the top.

HISTORY OF SOFTBALL POY

• 2022 – Jacy Ayers – Banks Co SR P/OF
• 2021 – Carson Hobbs – Commerce SR 1B/P
• 2020 – Madi Cronic – Banks Co SR SS
• 2019 – Tybee Denton – Banks Co SR P/DH
• 2018 – Jaycie Bowen – Banks Co SR 1B/P
• 2017 – Jessica Morgan – White Co SR C
• 2016 – Paige Cooke (Habersham SO SS) & Emma Whitfield (Stephens SO P)
• 2015 – Laken Chambers – Union Co JR P/1B
• 2014 – Laken Chambers (Union Co SO P/1B) & Jessica Morgan (White Co FR C)
• 2013 – Georgia Webb – Habersham SR OF/P
• 2012 – Jenna Abbott – Dawson Co SR P
• 2011 – Angie Hughes – Union Co SR P
• 2010 – Stephanie Satterfield – White Co SR P/1B
• 2009 – Stephanie Satterfield – White Co JR P/1B

Jacy Ayers returns the award to Banks County, where the Lady Leopards have now claimed it 4 times in the past 5 years. She’s the 11th pitcher to win the award, and only the 2nd player that doubled as a P/OF combo (the other being Habersham’s Georgia Webb in 2013). Ayers’ win as a senior means that in 2023, it will be a 9th different winner in an 8-year span. No one has repeated the award since Laken Chambers in 2014-15.

WHO WILL WIN IT NEXT YEAR?