University of South Alabama Athletics

AT SOUTH ALABAMA
JUNIOR SEASON (2023)    
• Sun Belt Conference Commissioner’s List selection
• After platooning in left field at the start of the season, took over starting duties over the final two-thirds of the year, starting 45 of her 49 games
• Batted .292 with 26 hits, 13 runs scored and nine RBI
• Had three doubles and one home run, while also stealing three bases
• Walked 13 times and was hit by pitch three times
• Was solid defensively in the outfield with a .980 fielding percentage and did not commit an error in her 55 defensive chances in SBC games
• Batted .327 and had a .436 slugging percentage in conference play with six of her nine RBI coming in league play
• Hit .346 with runners in scoring position and .370 in two-out situations
• Reached base safely in all three of her plate appearances with two hits and a walk with a run scored versus Princeton (3/12)
• Made a diving grab on a liner down the line in left to end the fourth inning in the series finale at Louisiana (4/9)
• Led the club during the App State series batting .625 with a pair of doubles, a .875 slugging percentage and three RBI
• Had a hit in five-straight at-bats as she was 2-for-2 in game one of the series and 3-for-3 in game two of the series
• The five-straight hits capped off a streak of reaching base safely in seven-straight plate appearances as she had a pair of walks against Nicholls (4/11)
• Was named the Sun Belt Conference Player of the Week for her play against the Mountaineers
• Also batted .500 with three runs scored and a pair of RBI in the series at Georgia Southern, where she hit her first career home run in game three of the series
• Her catch and double play versus Marshall in the opening game of the Sun Belt tournament was the No. 2 play on SportsCenter’s Top 10 plays on May 13

SOPHOMORE SEASON (2022)    
• Sun Belt Conference Commissioner’s List selection
• Easton/NFCA All-America Scholar Athlete honoree
• Started 10 of her 29 games played
• Batted .143 (4-for-28) and walked three times
• Scored a run and recorded a pair of doubles, while she was 2-for-2 in her stolen base attempts
• Recorded a double and a stolen bases versus Missouri (2/18)
• Had a hit in three-straight games (vs. Longwood, 2/25 - vs. Mississippi State (2/26)
• Reached base twice – a double and a walk – in South’s 1-0 win at Mississippi State (2/25)
• Walked and stole a base versus Nicholls State (3/16)
• Came on as a pinch runner and scored a run in game one of the Texas State (3/18) series

FRESHMAN SEASON (2021)    
• Sun Belt Conference Commissioner’s List selection
• Easton/NFCA All-America Scholar Athlete honoree
• Played in 30 games, starting 21 with all coming in the outfield – center (12) and left (9)    
• Batted .240 with 12 hits, including a pair of doubles and a triple     
• Scored 12 runs and drove in five, while walking 10 times    
• Was successful in her only stolen base attempt    
• Recorded two multi-hit and one multi-RBI game    
• Had a six-game reached base safely streak during the season  
• Posted first hit and scored first run versus Murray State (2/19)    
• Had a hit and scored a run in three-straight games – Middle Tennessee (2/27), SIU-Edwardsville (2/27) and Northwestern State (2/28) – driving in a run in the final two
• Reached base each of her three plate appearances versus the Lady Demons with a base hit and a pair of walks
• Named to South Alabama Invitational all-tournament team    
• Went 2-for-2 with a RBI triple versus McNeese State (3/31)    
• Reached base all three of her plate appearances with a double and a pair of walks versus Appalachian State (5/12) in the opening game of the Sun Belt Championships    
• Also went 2-for-3 against the Mountaineers two games later 
• Walked and scored a pair of runs versus Texas State (5/15) in the semifinals of the league tourney    

AT BESSEMER ACADEMY    
• Lettered six seasons in softball at Bessemer Academy in Bessemer, Ala.    
• Joined the varsity squad as a seventh-grader    
• Nationally rated entering her senior season as she was listed in Extra Innings Softball as top 200 softball players in the 2020 class    
• Selected as the offensive player of the year each of her final three seasons  
• In 13 games of her senior-shortened season, she batted .667    
• Earned honorable mention all-state honors from the Alabama Sports Writers Association as an outfielder and was a first-team Birmingham all-region selection as a junior after batting .541    
• Participated in the AISA All-Star Game during the summer prior to her senior season    
• Prior to the June event, she won the AISA Junior Class Home Run Derby    
• Made the AISA all-tournament team as an eighth grader and was named offensive player of the year at the conclusion of the 2018 season    
• Was a member of the Birmingham Thunderbolts for 10 years    
• While playing for the Thunderbolts, her team won the USA Softball National Championship, finished fifth in the nation in 2015, and has recorded numerous top 10 finishes during her time with the club team
• Chose South Alabama after receiving recruiting interest from Minnesota, Southern Miss and Samford

PERSONAL    
• Full name is Bailey Nycole Welch    
• Born in Bessemer, Ala.    
• Daughter of Shane and Leah Welch    
•Has a younger brother, Hunter    
• Majoring in biomedical sciences