Southwest Softball Signs Five

The Lady Saluqis softball team has signed five student-athletes to national letters of intent to continue their education and softball careers at Southwest beginning with the 2011-12 season.

• Kaylee Thaxton, a catcher from Middleton High School in Middleton, TN, is a three-year starter and two-time all-district honoree. As a junior, Thaxton batted .476 and was named District 16A Most Valuable Player. A two-time member of Middleton's ".400 club," she has a career batting average of .420. Thaxton has played travel ball for the Southaven Illusions and helped lead them to a 29-19 record and runner-up in the 2009 ASA Southern Nationals.
• Emily Guess, a left-handed pitcher from Arkansas Baptist High School in Little Rock, AR, has been selected all-conference twice and was named to the Class 3-A All-State and All-State Tournament teams in 2009. Widely considered one of the top five pitchers in the state of Arkansas, she was named the number 17 overall player (regardless of class) in the state by CoachesAid.com as a junior. Guess compiled a 20-6 record with 128 strikeouts and also led her team with a .438 batting average. In the state semifinals against Perryville, she struck out 17 batters and allowed just four hits. In addition, she was selected to play in the Junior Classic last summer.
• Paige Copeland, an outfielder from Bolton High School, helped lead her team to the state tournament for the past two seasons. Copeland's honors include All-District 14AAA, The Commercial Appeal's Best of the Preps All-Metro Team, Will to Win Player of the Week, and 3D Award. As a junior, she batted .304 with 20 runs scored, 14 runs batted in, and a team-leading 34 hits.
• Megan Newman from DeSoto Central High School is a pitcher/outfielder who helped lead the Southaven Illusions' travel ball team to a 29-19 record and runner-up in the 2009 ASA Nationals. She compiled a 14-3 pitching record for the Illusions and struck out 81 batters in 82-1/3 innings. Newman played as a freshman and junior for DeSoto Central and was a member of the 2007 District and North Half State championship team.
• Magan Dennison, a pitcher/infielder from Munford High School, was an All-District 13AAA and All-District 13AAA tournament selection as a junior. She batted .326 with 20 runs batted in and a .385 on-base average. As a pitcher, Dennison went 6-2 with a 2.35 earned run average and 44 strikeouts.

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Photo caption: Front row left to right: Kaylee Thaxton, Southwest Coach Keith Gentry
Back row left to right: Tommy Billions (stepfather), Chase McWhirter (brother), Tamme' Billions (mother), and Southaven Illusions Coach David Smock

Photo caption: Left to right: Gary Guess (father), Dana Guess (mother), Emily Guess, Southwest Coach Keith Gentry, and Southwest Coach Janie Grimes

Photo caption: Front row left to right: Curtis Copeland (father), Paige Copeland, Lisa Copeland (mother) Back row left to right: Southwest Coach Keith Gentry, Bolton Head Coach Pam Parker, and Bolton Assistant Coach David Dotson

Photo caption: Front row left to right: Lisa Newman (mother), Megan Newman, Southwest Coach Keith Gentry Back row left to right: Chris Newman (father), and Southaven Illusions Coach David Smock

Photo caption: Front row left to right: Annette Dennison (mother), Magan Dennison, Mike Dennison (father), Mary Shelly (grandmother) Back row left to right: Munford Coach Glenn Goulder, Southwest Coach Keith Gentry, and Munford Athletic Director Steve McCullough