Softball Postseason Awards Released
Donnie Smith
CLERMONT, Fla.—On the eve of the conference softball tournament, The Sun Conference released its annual postseason softball awards.
Webber International’s Brandi Hazen was named Player of the Year, hitting .348 this season with nine doubles, two triples, and eight home runs. The junior drove in 35 runs this season, helping the Warriors to a 9-5 conference record and second place finish in The Sun Conference.
Pitcher of the Year honors went to Southeastern junior Lindsie Scholwinski. The Couer d’Alene, Idaho native led the league in opponent batting average (.201), innings pitched (215), strikeouts (248), hits allowed per game (5.14), and wins (27). She is also the national leader in wins, and was 11-1 with a 1.53 ERA in 13 conference games.
Brent Orr was selected as Coach of the Year, turning Webber International from a 4-12 conference team in 2015, to a second place finish with a 9-5 league record.
USCB’s Kayla Boyle was named Freshman of the Year, starting 45 games, hitting .295 with 11 doubles and five home runs.
The Sand Sharks also placed four players on the Gold Glove team.
The league named Deanna Stirtzinger of Ave Maria and Jessica Castiglione of St. Thomas the Champions of Character.
Stirtzinger is involved with Fellowship of Catholic University Students, is a varsity Catholic missionary, and holds a 4.0 grade point average.
Castiglione works with Miami’s Carol City Middle School, mentoring youth at-risk, and has worked closely to review their report cards one-on-one. She has also been elected Student Government President, is a Dean’s List student, and a volunteer with the Jason Taylor Foundation.
The Warriors landed five players on the First Team All-Sun Conference list, and had a pair of Gold Glove recipients.
Regular season champion Southeastern had a league-high six First Team selections, and landed an additional player on the honorable mention list.
A total of 22 student-athletes earned Academic All-Sun Conference status by holding a minimum grade point average of 3.5 and be at least a sophomore academically with two semester completed at their current institution. Ave Maria placed a league-high six players on the list.
The conference tournament begins at 9 a.m. Thursday at the Legends Way Ballfields in Clermont with Thomas taking on Warner.
First Team All-Conference
C - Whitley Martin, USCB
C - Brandee Pietrzak, SEU
INF - Brandi Hazen, WIU
INF - Anna Martin, SEU
INF - Rachel Hoeft, TU
INF - Melody Grafals, STU
INF - Kara Seymour, WIU
OF - Kingsley Avery, AMU
OF - Shanelly Brown, WIU
OF - Bri Girardin, SEU
OF - Laura Borders, WIU
DP - Michella Davis, AMU
UTL - Cat Maldonado, SEU
P - Lindsie Scholwinski, SEU
P - Erika Bellinger, WIU
P - Chelsie Valentine, WU
At-Large - Sydnie Malloy, SEU
At-Large - Abby Pac, USCB
At-Large - Jessica Matias, STU
At-Large - Brittany Daniels, TU
Honorable Mention
C - Shanah Thomas, KU
C - Kelsey Connolly, TU
INF - Taylor Stoltz, SEU
INF - Jessica Adams, WU
INF - Cassidy Miller, KU
INF - Marissa Becker, USCB
INF - Michael Cooper, TU
OF - Heather Shapiro, KU
OF - Kayla Boyle, USCB
UTL - Sadie Mosher, AMU
P - Jessica Castiglione, STU
P - Ashlie Layman, USCB
Gold Glove Team
C - Whitley Martin, USCB
1B - Megan Isoba, WIU
2B - Cassidy Miller, KU
3B - Brandi Hazen, WIU
SS - Haley Brown, USCB
LF - Missy Hughes, USCB
CF - Kingsley Avery, AMU
RF - Kayla Boyle, USCB
Player of the Year - Brandi Hazen, WIU
Pitcher of the Year - Lindsie Scholwinski, SEU
Freshman of the Year - Kayla Boyle, USCB
Coach of the Year - Brent Orr, WIU
Champion of Character - Deanna Stirtzinger, AMU & Jessica Castiglione, STU
Academic All-Conference
Deanna Stirtzinger, AMU
Alyssa Colding, AMU
Rachel Curtiss, AMU
McKayla Jeter, AMU
Emily Lemin, AMU
Taylor Sterling, AMU
Emily Bryant, SEU
Brittany LaCasse, SEU
Bri Girardin, SEU
Carson Catasus, STU
Cristina Sacramento, STU
Michelle Murch, STU
Kelsey Connolly, TU
Whitney Cooper, TU
Kathryn Lopes, TU
Danielle Lower, TU
Ashley Sikes, TU
Kaitlyn Ficarrotta, WU
Makenzie Garcia, WU
Kara Seymour, WIU
Stephanie Cabrices, WIU
Haley Brown, USCB