By Bill Hanefeld Jr., sports information director
May 9, 2006
BLUFFTON, Ohio - Two Bluffton University softball players were recently honored by the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference coaches for their play on the diamond this spring. Senior SARAH BETTS (Bryan/Bryan), a four-year standout for the Beavers, was named All-HCAC for the fourth consecutive season. Freshman RANDI YAEGER (Harrison/Harrison), who was Betts' battery mate, took home Freshman of the Year honors in the Heartland Conference.
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Betts led the HCAC with 190 strikeouts, including 62 in conference contests which also ranked her first. Her 190 whiffs outdistanced her closest rival by 64 strikeouts. She was also tops in the Heartland Conference with 28 appearances, 10 in the HCAC, and 22 games started, nine in the conference. Betts pitched 151.2 innings in 2006 which was the second highest by a pitcher in the HCAC. Her 55.2 innings in conference contests was the most by any pitcher in the Heartland Conference.
Betts limited opponents to a .207 batting average which placed her second in the conference and her earned run average of 1.94 was the third best among pitchers in the HCAC. She has been named All-Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference during each of her four years at Bluffton University, including being named Most Valuable Player of the HCAC in 2004 when she earned third team All-America honors. |
| Freshman Randi Yaeger was named Heartland Conference Freshman of the Year for her outstanding first season at Bluffton University. Her .411 batting average was the second highest in the HCAC. Yaeger's .480 on-base percentage was also second best in the conference while her .634 slugging percentage placed her third among hitters in the HCAC. She also ranked among the top five in the conference with 15 stolen bases, 32 runs scored and 71 total bases.
In conference contests, Yaeger led the HCAC with 17 runs scored and nine stolen bases. She was tough behind the plate as she finished the season with a .962 fielding percentage, including 220 putouts and 30 assists. The Beavers ended the season with a 15-23 overall record and a 7-7 mark in the Heartland Conference. Bluffton finished the 2006 season tied for fourth place in the HCAC. |
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Following are the 2006 All-Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference selections:
MOST VALUABLE PLAYER: Holly Gibson, Transylvania University
PITCHER OF THE YEAR: Kelly Thompson, Anderson University
FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR: Randi Yaeger, Bluffton University
COACH OF THE YEAR: Larry Holloway, Anderson University
ALL-HCAC
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Lesli Randall |
Anderson |
Junior |
OF |
|
Dawn Sanders |
Anderson |
Junior |
1B |
|
Amy Loehndorf |
Anderson |
Junior |
3B |
|
Julia Siefring |
Anderson |
Freshman |
2B |
|
Anna Goodman |
Anderson |
Freshman |
SS |
|
Bluffton |
Senior |
P |
|
|
Justine Johnston |
Defiance |
Freshman |
P |
|
Alicia Allen |
Defiance |
Junior |
P/OF |
|
Renee Steffen |
Defiance |
Junior |
SS |
|
Melanie Bushman |
Defiance |
Freshman |
1B |
|
Kelsey Sugg |
Defiance |
Sophomore |
C |
|
Jill Carson |
Franklin |
Junior |
OF |
|
Holly McEathron |
Manchester |
Senior |
C |
|
Lisa Heaton |
Manchester |
Sophomore |
DP |
|
Alicia Johnson |
Mt. St. Joseph |
Senior |
C |
|
Andrea Fitzpatrick |
Transylvania |
Junior |
SS |
|
Jessica Broadhead |
Transylvania |
Freshman |
3B |
|
Heather Metzger |
Transylvania |
Freshman |
P/OF |
|
Amy Meikel |
Transylvania |
Senior |
P |
-BEAVERS-