Eight MSSU softball players earn all MIAA honors

(From MSSU Lions Athletic News)

Eight Missouri Southern softball players earned All-MIAA honors as announced by the conference office today.

Senior right fielder Shelby Romines earned second-team honors as an outfielder for a second consecutive year while redshirt freshman Alexah Replogle earned second-team honors at designated player.

In addition to Romines and Replogle, six other Lions earned All-MIAA honorable mention honors at their positions. Senior first baseman Dawn Grass, senior outfielder Chloe Brown, junior catcher Kathryn Goins, sophomore shortstop Michala Wood, sophomore utility/non-pitcher Rachel Harding and freshman outfielder Jessica Castoe round out the honorees.

Starting 53 games on the season, Romines hit .315 from the dish tying for the team lead with 30 runs scored, while ranking second on the club in hits (53), at-bats (168), home runs (6), RBI's (32) and total bases (81). Romines started all 26 MIAA games hitting .353 leading the team in hits (30) while scoring 15 runs and driving in 18 RBI's and slugging .494%. She had a pair of three hit MIAA games at Pittsburg State and at home versus Nebraska-Kearney where she combined to go 6-for-9 with a home run and four RBI's in the two contests. Romines finishes her career at Southern with 15 home runs, tied for fourth in program history, and 96 RBI's, leaving her three shy of reaching the top five in program history.

Making her debut as a Lion this year, Replogle finished fourth on the club hitting .310 appearing in 45 games making 40 starts. She collected 39 hits in 126 at-bats with eight doubles, a triple and a home run scoring 19 runs and driving in 15 RBI's. Playing in 21 MIAA games, Alexah hit .349 with 22 hits and five doubles. She had seven two-hit MIAA games, including going 2-for-4 with a double scoring two runs in a 8-0 win over Lindenwood.

An All-MIAA honorable mention honoree as a sophomore in 2011, Grass earned her second all-conference honor this season as she led the Lions in hitting for the majority of the year. Starting 52 games, she finished second on the club with a .346 batting average leading the team in hits (55), RBI's (33), total bases (84), walks (20), slugging percentage (.528) and on-base percentage (.414). Starting 24 MIAA games, Dawn hit .347 with 25 hits and 20 runs driven in during the conference season. She had a pair of three hit games against Washburn and Pittsburg State going 6-for-9 with two home runs, a double, nine RBI's and scored four runs in the two games. Grass finishes her career at Southern as the all-time leader in program history in home runs (28), second in at-bats (630) and walks (87), third in games played (212) and putouts (1,258), fourth in RBI's (122) and tied for sixth in hits (183).

Brown started 53 games for the Lions leading the team with 170 at-bats while collecting 46 hits on the year for a .271 batting average tying for a team-leading 30 runs scored. The Springdale, Ark., native led Southern with 12 doubles and seven home runs while ranking second with 81 total bases. Starting all 26 MIAA games, Brown scored a team-best 21 runs in those contests while hitting .267 and slugged .444%. She had a pair of strong games against Washburn and Fort Hays State where she combined to hit .500 going 5-for-10 scoring five runs.

Goins appeared in 45 games for the Lions making 40 starts as she hit .269 on the season. Starting 35 games behind the plate, she collected 35 hits in 130 at-bats with eight doubles and a team-high seven home runs. The Van Buren, Ark., native scored 18 runs while driving in 24 RBI's and slugged .492%. She was especially hot in the MIAA season as she hit .338 in 24 MIAA games collecting 26 hits, six doubles, four home runs and totaled a team-best 44 bases. She had eight multi-hit MIAA games, going 3-for-3 with a RBI at Northeastern State on March 15.

Wood appeared in 51 games, starting 50 at shortstop, as she hit .292 from the plate. Second on the club in at-bats with 168, the Kansas City, Mo., native finished third on the team in hits (49), runs (25), RBI's (26), and doubles (9). Leading the way with four triples, Wood played in all 26 MIAA games hitting .300 with 27 hits while scoring 15 runs and driving in 14 RBI's. Recording eight multi-hit games during the MIAA season, she had three three-hit contests against Lincoln, Lindenwood and Pittsburg State where she went a collective 9-for-13 with two doubles, a triple, six runs scored and five RBI's.

Harding earned All-MIAA honorable mention honors at utility/non-pitcher as she played in 33 games for the Lions making 21 starts at four different postions. Starting six games at second base and designated player, five at third base and four at shortstop, the Joplin native hit .279 from the dish collecting 19 hits in 68 at-bats with six doubles scoring nine runs and driving in nine. Playing in 16 MIAA games, she collected 10 hits with four doubles, scored five runs and drove in three. Helping the Lions upset #7 Emporia State at home on April 5, Harding went 2-for-3 with a run and an RBI.

Leading the Lions in hitting as a true freshman, Castoe appeared in 44 games making 31 starts for Southern. The Glenpool, Okla., native hit .349 from the plate collecting 37 hits in 106 at-bats with eight doubles, a triple, and scored 23 runs while driving in eight RBI's. Playing in 22 MIAA games with 17 starts, Castoe also led the club in hitting during the MIAA season hitting .361 as she recorded 22 hits while scoring 12 runs. She had eight multi-hit MIAA games, including going 3-for-5 with a triple and a run scored against Washburn on April 6.

Player of the Year: Tiffany Brown, Sr., Pittsburg State**
Pitcher of the Year: Jackie Bishop, Sr., Missouri Western
Defensive Player of the Year: Tori Collet, C, Central Oklahoma
Freshman of the Year: Chantel Adams, SS, Northwest Missouri
Coach of the Year: Julie LeMaire, Emporia State**

1st Team
Pitcher: Jackie Bishop, Sr., Missouri Western
Pitcher: Kalynn Schrock, Sr., Central Oklahoma
Catcher: Callie Wright, Sr., Fort Hays State
First Base: Tiffany Gillaspy, Jr., Missouri Western
Second Base: Ally Dziadula, So., Central Oklahoma
Shortstop: Taylor Zordel, Jr., Emporia State$
Third Base: Jessica Gragg, Jr., Emporia State
Outfield: Tiffany Brown, Sr. Pittsburg State**
Outfield: Stephanie Goodwin, Jr., Emporia State**
Outfield: Kaylee Brunson, Jr., Central Oklahoma
Designated Player: McKenzie Rynard, Jr., Pittsburg State
Utility/Non-Pitcher: Marina Quimby, So., Washburn
Utility/Pitcher: Jakki Prater, Jr., Central Missouri
**= Unanimous Selection
$= Repeat First Team Selection

2nd Team
Pitcher: Kaitlyn Caston, Jr., Emporia State
Pitcher: Paxton Duran, So., Fort Hays State
Catcher: Tori Collet, So., Central Oklahoma
First Base: Courtney Opich, Sr., Lindenwood
Second Base: Torri Blythe, Jr., Northwest Missouri^
Second Base: Katie Schroeder, Sr., Washburn^
Shortstop: Chantel Adams, Fr., Northwest Missouri
Third Base: Ashton Smith, So., Central Oklahoma
Outfield: Cheslyn Mitchell, Jr., Pittsburg State#
Outfield: Brooke Zukerman, So., Central Oklahoma#
Outfield: Devyn Frazier, Jr., Central Oklahoma#
Outfield: Shelby Romines, Sr., Missouri Southern#
Designated Player: Alexah Replogle, Fr., Missouri Southern
Utility/Non-Pitcher: Ashleigh Tramel, Fr., Central Oklahoma
Utility/Pitcher: Samantha Carson, Fr., Washburn
^= Two second basemen due to tie in the voting
#= Four Outfielders due to tie in the voting

Honorable Mention
Pitcher: Katie Shockley, Jr., Central Missouri; Kendall Ryndak, Jr., Lindenwood; Janie Smith, So., Missouri Western; Kayce Wooldridge, So., Northeastern State; Sam Grove, Jr., Pittsburg State.
Catcher: Shantae Duren, Sr., Lincoln; Brittany Rozier, Jr., Lindenwood; Kathryn Goins, Jr., Missouri Southern; Kat Steponovich, Sr., Missouri Western; Navada Campos, Sr., Northeastern State; Nicole Nease, Fr., Pittsburg State
First Base: Lauren Mabe, Fr., Central Missouri; Emily Ditmore, Jr., Central Oklahoma; Tricia Vogel, Sr., Emporia State; Danie Brinkmann, Sr., Fort Hays State; Erin Sommerer, Sr., Lincoln; Dawn Grass, Sr., Missouri Southern; Kate Ruwe, So., Nebraska-Kearney; Allyson Pogue, Sr., Northeastern State; Stephanie Mark, Jr., Northwest Missouri; Alex Perez, So., Pittsburg State; Lauren Thimmesch, Jr., Washburn
Second Base: Ali Jo Rogers, So., Central Missouri; Taylor Reichard, Sr., Emporia State; Courtney Dobson, So., Fort Hays State; Madison Boyd, Fr., Northeastern State
Shortstop: Braylyn Bivens, Sr., Central Missouri; Hannah Justus, Sr., Central Oklahoma; Kellsi Olsen, Sr., Fort Hays State; Sam Kircher, Jr., Lincoln; Courtney Kitson, So., Lindenwood; Michala Wood, So., Missouri Southern; Taylor Anding, Sr., Missouri Western; Alyssa Aguilar, Jr., Northeastern State; Jordan Bradshaw, Fr. Pittsburg State; Shelby Erickson, Sr., Washburn
Third Base: Emily King, So., Central Missouri; Diedre Merli, Jr., Lindenwood; Katie Klosterman., Fr., Missouri Western; Caitlyn Cooner, So., Southwest Baptist.
Outfield: Alex Groeger, Sr., Central Missouri; Jess Neely, Jr., Central Missouri; Andrea Piezuch, Sr., Emporia State; Bianca Adame, Sr., Fort Hays State; Amanda Vaupel, Jr., Fort Hays State; Hannah Braun, Jr., Lindenwood; Jessica Castoe, Fr., Missouri Southern; Chloe Brown, Sr., Missouri Southern; Bre Fleschner, Jr., Missouri Western; Sydney Washington, Fr., Missouri Western; Morgan Rathman, Fr., Missouri Western; Madison Reed, Sr., Northeastern State; Megan Robison, Sr., Northeastern State; Jordan Ereth, Sr., Northwest Missouri; Brenna George, Sr., Pittsburg State; Haylee Marsteller, So., Washburn
Utility/Non-Pitcher: Lindsey Dawson, Fr., Central Missouri; Samantha Villareal, Fr., Fort Hays State; Rachel Harding, So., Missouri Southern.
Utility/Pitcher: Eryn Stockman, Fr., Emporia State