Kenneth Bellamy - Softball Coach - Mercer University Athletics

Kenneth Bellamy

Title:
Assistant Coach
Email:
bellamy_kr@mercer.edu
Phone:
(478) 301-2263

Kenneth Bellamy joined the Mercer Softball staff as an assistant coach in August 2020.

Bellamy comes to Mercer after spending the last eight years as the head coach of USC Salkehatchie. He took a program that was in shambles and worked to build a program that has become one of the most highly respected junior college softball programs in the region. With the Indians, he improved the team’s win total every year since the 2014 season.

In 2019, Bellamy led Salk to its best season in program history. The 2019 Indians not only set the program record with 36 wins on the year, but also captured the school’s first-ever NJCAA Region 10 crown in any sport after defeating USC Sumter in the championship game, 11-5. The Indians possessed a well-rounded team full of talent, leading the conference in at bats, hits, runs scored, innings pitched, strikeouts and lowest team ERA.

Bellamy, a two-time Region 10 Coach of the Year, instructed seven All-Region 10 performers, including Region 10 Pitcher of the Year Haley Haselden. Joining Haselden on the first team were Jessi Bell, Tiara Peters and Haley Rawls, while Samantha Blackwell, Daisy Byrd and Lauren Wexler garnered second team honors. Haselden, Bell, Blackwell, Byrd and Ally Hardee also collected All-Region 10 Tournament accolades. Bellamy’s student-athletes excelled not only on the diamond but also in the classroom as Gabby Sease earned Third Team Academic All-America honors in the historic season.

He coached the Indians to 24 wins in 2018, led by the USC Salkehatchie Female Athlete of the Year – Lanie Freeman. Freeman posted a 3.60 GPA and recorded 27 hits with four doubles and 27 runs scored on the season. Bellamy’s squad advanced to the Region 10 semifinals for the second consecutive season after making the program’s first-ever championship appearance the year prior.

During the 2017 season, Bellamy led Salk to its first-ever regional finals appearance. The Indians strung together nine wins in 10 games during the month of march before capturing three straight victories in the regional tournament. Bellamy’s squad improved by nine wins from the previous season as he earned Region 10 Coach of the Year honors.

Prior to Salkehatchie, Bellamy was a volunteer assistant, assistant coach and interim head coach at Paine College.

A native of Beech Island, S.C., Bellamy earned his associate’s degree at USC Salkehatchie before graduating Cum Laude with his bachelor’s degree in English at Paine College. He played four years of baseball while in college.

Bellamy and his wife, Cortney, have one daughter, River Grace Bellamy, and a son, Kanaan Rafe Bellamy, who is due in September. The family dog is Murph.