LUMBERTON — Lumberton softball players Aniya Merritt and Halona Sampson each earned district awards and seven total Pirates earned All-District recognition from the North Carolina Softball Coaches Association this week.

Merritt was named as the 4A District 4 Player of the Year and Sampson as the 4A District 4 Pitcher of the Year.

Merritt, Sampson and the other Pirates honorees earned the recognition after a 24-5 season, setting a new school wins record, winning the United-8 Conference championship and reaching the third round of the 4A state playoffs for the first time.

Merritt hit .494 in her senior year, tallying 43 hits, with 33 runs, 10 RBIs and a school-record 38 stolen bases. The 2023 Robeson County Co-Player of the Year is signed to play collegiately at North Carolina A&T.

Sampson, a senior right-handed pitcher, was 19-5 with a 1.67 ERA this spring, striking out 190 batters in 134 1/3 innings. Sampson was named Robeson County Pitcher of the Year for the second time, also earning the award in 2022, and is signed to play at Lander University.

Lumberton’s other All-District selections included sophomore third baseman Jaelyn Hammond (.410 average, 15 RBIs, 32 runs), senior outfielder Alona Hanna (.538 average, 33 RBIs, 39 runs, five runs, 17 doubles), junior first baseman Cameron Honeycutt (.385 average, 17 RBIs, 17 runs, three home runs), senior shortstop Alyssa Stone (.476 average, 29 RBIs, 34 runs, 15 doubles) and senior catcher Tiara Stueck (.410 average, 47 RBIs, nine home runs, 19 extra-base hits).

Other All-District selections included Gray’s Creek’s Amariya Green, a UNCP commit, Hannah Welsh and Roshell Williams; Hoke County’s McKenzie Freman; and South View’s Maddy Clark, Kaylie Cook, Savanna Delp and Jordyn Parnell.

All-State selections will be announced by the NCSCA next week.