Biography
2019 (Senior Year): Earned a spot on the All-MEAC Second Team at pitcher … A Preseason All-MEAC Second Team honoree at first base as well … Member of the AD’s Honor Roll both semesters and the MEAC All-Academic Team … Competed in all 45 games on the season … Started every one, including 22 in the circle, 18 at DP and 13 at first base … Went 13-11 with a 2.59 ERA … Made 28 appearances, including 22 starts … Threw 11 complete games with two shutouts, three combined shutouts, and two saves … Struck out 95 in 145.2 innings of work … At the plate, had 28 hits in 132 at bats with 18 runs, four doubles, two home runs, 12 RBI and 15 walks … Ranked second in the MEAC in ERA, fourth in opponent batting average (.264), fifth in wins and sixth in strikeouts … Ranked No. 148 in the nation in walks allowed per seven innings (1.87) … Stood third in NSU Division I records in wins, seventh in ERA and ninth in strikeouts … Finished her career fourth all-time at NSU in fewest walks per seven innings (1.65), fifth in strikeouts (242), sixth in starts (66), shutouts (7) and innings pitched (421.0), eighth in appearances (82), ninth in wins (30) and complete games (39), 10th in ERA (3.24), and 12th in fewest hits per seven innings (8.06) and strikeouts per seven innings (4.02) … Also ended her career eighth in home runs with 14 … Batted .275 (11-for-40) with runners in scoring position … Collected five multi-hit games on the year … Threw back-to-back shutouts on March 20 and 23 … Pitched seven innings and gave up six hits in a 1-0 win at Radford on the 20th, hitting an RBI single as well for NSU’s only run of the game … Allowed three hits with six strikeouts in seven innings in a 7-0 win at Morgan State three days later … Also earned a save on March 24 against MSU in game 1, striking out two in the seventh in a 6-5 victory … Threw the first five innings and allowed just one hit in an 3-0 win over South Carolina State on March 9 … Also hit a solo home run that game … Got her first win of the year on Feb. 25 against St. Bonaventure, allowing seven hits and one earned run in seven innings of a 5-1 victory … Allowed just one unearned run on three hits in five innings of work for the win in an 8-1 victory over Maryland Eastern Shore on March 30 … Batted 2-for-3 with a run and a double as well to concluded a six-game hit streak … In game 1 at Coppin State on April 12, pitched all seven innings and struck out six while allowing three hits in a 2-1 win … Also got the win on April 14 against the Eagles, striking out six and allowing one hit in 3.2 scoreless innings of relief … Pitched three innings of relief for the win and allowed just three hits in a 1-0 win over Howard on April 28 … Got her second save of the year on May 8 in a 2-1 victory over North Carolina A&T, allowing one hit in 2.1 scoreless innings … Struck out a season-high seven in game 1 against Delaware on Feb. 8 and game 1 at North Carolina Central on March 5 … In game 2 versus Delaware, batted 2-for-4 with a run and an RBI … In game 2 against NCCU, hit 2-for-3 with two runs and an RBI … Hit an RBI single in the bottom of the seventh for a 5-4, walk-off win over Buffalo on March 1 … Went 2-for-4 with two runs scored in a game 1 win over North Carolina A&T on March 15 … Batted 1-for-3 with two runs in a victory over Morehead State on Feb. 25 … Finished with two hits, including a double, in game 1 at Hampton on April 10.
2018 (Junior Year): Named to the All-MEAC Third Team at first base … Played in all 50 games and was one of just two players to start all 50 … Started 29 games at first base, 18 at pitcher and an additional three at DP … Member of the MEAC All-Academic Team and the AD’s Honor Roll in the fall … Earned MEAC Co-Pitcher of the Week honors on April 2 and the MEAC Co-Player of the Week award on March 26 … Batted .301 on the year in 143 at bats … Scored 29 runs on 43 hits with three doubles, one triple, eight home runs, 20 RBI, a team-leading 22 walks and three stolen bases … Held a .398 on-base percentage and a .503 slugging percentage … Also pitched in 20 games with 18 starts … Threw nine complete games and three shutouts in addition to a combined shutout … Also had one save … Had a 2.82 ERA with a 6-12 record … Struck out 67 in 106.2 innings of work … Ranked second in the MEAC in walks, sixth in home runs, 10th in total bases (72) and slugging percentage, 13th in runs scored, 16th in on-base percentage and 18th in hits … In the circle, ranked fourth in opposing batting average (.248), sixth in ERA, 14th in wins and innings and 15th in strikeouts … On a national scale, ranked 26th in walks allowed per seven innings (1.18) and 58th in strikeout-to-walk ratio (3.72) … Had 11 multi-hit games on the year and four with two or more RBI … Tied for the team lead with a seven-game hit streak during the year and a 13-game reached base streak … Drove in the only run of the game with a fielder’s choice in the bottom of the sixth in a 1-0 win over North Carolina Central on April 17 … Earned the win in the circle after allowing five hits in seven scoreless innings … Threw a one-hitter and struck out 12 in seven innings in a 7-0 victory at Maryland Eastern Shore on March 31 … Tied the school record for strikeouts in a game held by several players, becoming the third Division I player to record that many along the way … Also had a shutout on April 14 at Howard, striking out seven while allowing two hits in all seven innings of a 2-0 win … Suffered the loss but pitched well against Davis & Elkins on Feb. 25, allowing five hits and three runs, one earned, in 11 innings … Became just the second NSU player ever to pitch at least 11 innings in one game, joining Alyssa Velazquez … Pitched the first five innings of a combined shutout against South Carolina State on Feb. 24, striking out four and giving up just one hit in an eventual 5-0 win … Also defeated the Bulldogs on Feb. 17, pitching 6.2 innings and allowing seven hits and two earned runs for the victory … Also picked up the win over Coppin State on March 17, allowing eight hits and four runs, three earned, with four strikeouts in all seven innings of a 5-4 victory … Had a big stretch at the plate in back-to-back series at Delaware State and at Maryland Eastern Shore from March 24-31 … Batted 2-for-3 in each game of a doubleheader on March 24 at Delaware State … Hit a pair of home runs and batted 2-for-4 with two runs and three RBI in a win in the third game of the series on March 25 … Hit another home run while going 2-for-4 with a run and an RBI at Maryland Eastern Shore on March 30 … Threw her one-hitter and struck out 12 the next day while also going 1-for-4 with a run and three RBI thanks to another home run … Had a hit in her only official at bat and walked three times in game 2 … Also hit a pair of home runs again on April 14 at Howard, hitting 2-for-3 with two runs and two RBI while also throwing a shutout … In the next two games against the Bison, walked four times and scored four runs … Hit her first homer of the season on March 7 in game 1 at North Carolina A&T, hitting 2-for-3 with two runs, two RBI and a pair of walks … Also had two hits, including a home run, against Charleston Southern on March 9, finishing off her seven-game hit streak and going 9-for-20 in the process … Batted 3-for-4 with two runs and an RBI in a win at Savannah State on Feb. 17.
2017 (Sophomore Year): Member of the AD’s Honor Roll both semesters as well as the MEAC All-Academic Team … Named MEAC Pitcher of the Week on Feb. 27 … Played in 26 games and made 24 starts before missing the rest of the year due to injury … Pitched in 21 games and started 15 times … Also had nine starts solely at designated player … Led the team with 18 RBI and a .541 slugging percentage and tied for the team lead with four home runs … Hit .295, second-best among all players, in 61 at bats with 10 runs, three doubles and seven walks … In the circle, carried a 7-9 overall record with a 3.68 ERA … Threw 10 complete games with two shutouts … Struck out 55 in 102.2 innings … Ranked 10th in the MEAC in ERA … Stood 49th in the nation in fewest walks allowed per seven innings at 1.36 … Hit just one batter on the season, tied for the fewest in the nation with 12 other pitchers … Had five games with two or more RBI, including a 2-for-4 effort with four RBI in a win over Delaware State on March 25 … Batted 2-for-3 with a double and two RBI at Campbell on March 4 … The next time out, hit a two-run homer and finished 2-for-4 with two runs and three RBI at Elon on March 10 … Belted a two-run home run in the first game of the season against Marist on Feb. 18 … Also earned the win after allowing three earned runs in seven innings of work … Pitched the first shutout of the season on Feb. 25 against Buffalo, allowing five hits and striking out three in all seven innings of a 4-0 contest … Gave up just four hits in seven innings of work in the second shutout of the season, a 4-0 win over Rider on March 3 … Hit a solo homer in game 1 of a doubleheader against Maryland Eastern Shore on April 2 … Struck out a career-high 10 batters at the same time … In game 2, hit a three-run home run as part of a 2-for-2 contest with two runs and three RBI … Earned the win in the circle as well after striking out five and allowing three runs, one earned, in 3.2 innings of relief … Gave up just one unearned run and scattered six hits in seven innings in a victory over Fairleigh Dickinson on March 11 … Gave up 12 hits but just two runs, one earned, in seven innings in a win over Buffalo on Feb. 26 … Struck out six and allowed three hits in a win over Howard on April 14.
2016 (Freshman Year): Made 13 appearances in the circle with 11 starts … Member of the AD’s Honor Roll and the Easton/National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) All-America Scholar Athlete team … Posted a 4-9 record with a 4.67 ERA … Threw nine complete games and struck out 25 in 66.0 innings of work … Also had one hit in 16 at bats with three runs scored, one RBI, two walks and two sacrifice hits … Started 14 games total, including 11 in the circle and three at designated player … Earned her first career win in game 1 against Coppin State on March 19, allowing four hits in seven innings with five runs, just one earned … Gave up three runs, two earned, and seven hits in a seven-inning victory over Morgan State on April 10 … Got the win on April 13 in a victory over North Carolina Central, pitching all five innings and giving up just two hits and one earned run with three strikeouts … Scored once and drove in a run that game as well … Pitched well in a pair of losses at Howard on April 16 and at UMES on April 21 … Gave up six hits in 6.1 innings and allowed three runs, just one earned, in a 3-2 loss to the Bison … Five days later, pitched 7.2 innings and allowed seven hits and two runs, one earned, in a 2-1 loss to the Hawks … Struck out a season-high seven in six innings in a game 1 loss at UMBC on April 27 … Got her first career hit in a game 2 win at UMES on April 21.
High School: Competed on the varsity softball team all four years at Northside … A three-time East Central Conference Player of the Year her sophomore, junior and senior seasons … Was a three-time North Carolina Softball Coaches Association (NCSCA) 2A all-state honoree those same seasons, including first-team all-state her senior year in 2015 … Had a 1.15 ERA with 200 strikeouts and just 10 walks as a senior while also hitting .700 with 24 runs, 29 RBI, 11 doubles, four triples, five homes, a 1.266 slugging percentage and a .775 on-base percentage … Helped Northside earn a trip to the second round of the state NCHSAA playoffs, the second year in a row and just the second time ever the program made the playoffs … Earned first-team all-conference and first-team all-area honors all four years … Garnered the Jacksonville Daily News Player of the Year, the All-Area Player of the Year and the District 2 Pitcher of the Year awards her junior year … Finished that season with 172 strikeouts, 14 walks and a 1.10 ERA in the circle while hitting .551 with a .979 slugging percentage and a .633 on-base percentage … Led Northside to its first ever playoff appearance … Tallied 207 strikeouts and just 18 walks her sophomore year in the circle … Also threw the shot put for the track & field team … Was the state runner-up in the shot put her junior year for both indoor and outdoor track … Had a season best of 35-8.5 … Placed third in the indoor shot put at the state meet her senior year … Hit a PR of 39-5 that year.
Club: Competed for two seasons with the Lady Lightning Gold club team.
Personal: Full name is Hunter Leighan Halford … Born on Sept. 17, 1997 … Last name is pronounced HALL-ferd … Daughter of Michele and Jerry Halford … Has two older sisters, Heather and Haley … Majoring in business entrepreneurship … Wants to eventually become a labor doula … Member of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) … Enjoys cooking and baking.
