Lexington High standout, Louisville signee wins SC’s top softball honor
Sarah Gordon’s record-setting year earned her the state’s top softball award.
The Lexington High School senior catcher was named the Gatorade Player of the Year for South Carolina on Thursday. Gordon is the first Lexington player to win the award and the third from the Columbia area, joining Spring Valley’s Casey Rodriguez (2005) and Ridge View’s Kate Morrison (1999). The award has been in existence since 1998.
“I am super blessed to have received this award, but I couldn’t have done it without all the amazing players who came before me who helped me grow throughout my years in Lexington. Important Lexington alumni like Allie Light and Hannah Kumiyama showed me how hard work really is the key to success as every top athlete works hard to excel their game in the next level,” Gordon told The State in a statement. “They taught me how to grind and appreciate the moment.”
Gordon hit .598 with a school-record 19 home runs, 49 RBIs and 63 runs scored in helping the Wildcats to the Class 5A championship series. She also stole 28 bases and threw out eight of 11 runners trying to steal. The 19 homers broke Hannah Kumiyama’s mark of 17 set in 2019. Kumiyama now plays at South Carolina.
“This past season did not go the way we wanted in the end, however, our team grew closer than ever. With a few injuries throughout the season, like Peri Rouillard’s season-ending injury, it pushed us to appreciate each game given to us and lean on every one of our teammates to win big games like we did. Lexington has provided me with lifelong friends that I will continue to support in their future years whether it is in high school athletics, college athletics, and life past athletics.”
Gordon, a Louisville signee, has been a part of the Wildcats’ lineup since her ninth grade year and was on Lexington’s 2019 championship team. For her career, she had a .564 batting average with 36 homers, 126 RBI, 37 doubles, 49 stolen bases and just 17 strikeouts in 341 plate appearances.
Off the field, Gordon has a 3.85 GPA and is member of the National Honor Society. She also has volunteered locally on behalf of the Special Olympics and Unified Sports and donated her time to Students in Action, a Lexington High group that recently organized a donation drive for Ukraine.
“Sarah has been our anchor during her career as a Wildcat. She has been a leader at the plate, behind the plate, in the classroom and the community.,” Lexington coach Laurie Epps said. “Her work ethic and dedication to the game are unmatched. Sarah is leaving Lexington the most decorated player in program history! We are grateful for the legacy she leaves as a Wildcat.”
This story was originally published June 9, 2022 at 8:08 AM.
