Softball
Four Cougars Earn All-NJAC Softball Honors
PITMAN, N.J. (5/3/07) - The Kean University softball team placed four players on the New Jersey Athletic Conference Second-Team after finishing the regular season, 21-13 overall, 8-10 in the NJAC.
Junior shortstop Johanna Hedler earned
second-team honors for the second straight season, while sophomores
Meg Gierke, Jesse Buchanan and
Sara Steinman each earned a spot on the
second-team for the first time in their careers.
A three-time All-NJAC selection after also earning honorable
mention accolades as a rookie in 2005, Hedler
(South Plainfield, N.J.) finished tied for second in the NJAC in
conference games in doubles (7), tied four fourth in homeruns (3)
and ranked sixth in walks (6). For the season, the three-year
starter at shortstop led the team in doubles (11), triples
(3) and runs scored (29), was tied for team-high honors in
hits (39) and ranked second in batting average (.325) and homeruns
(4).
On the mound, Gierke (Glen Gardner, N.J.) sports a 15-7 overall record and ranks 30th in the country with a 1.36 earned run average. In 149.0 innings of work, she struck out 132 batters, breaking her own school record set a year ago, while her 15 wins is tied for fifth in single season history. An honorable mention all-star last season as a rookie, Gierke made 19 starts with 18 complete games, including four shutouts.
Buchanan (Washington Twp., N.J.) led the conference in
sacrifice bunts (9) and topped the team in batting average (.311)
and hits (19) in conference games, as she started all 18 games in
left field for the Cougars. For the season, the switch-hitter
leads the squad in sacrifice hits (13), is third in batting average
(.322) and hits (37) and ranks fourth in runs scored (18).
In her first season playing intercollegiate softball,
Steinman (Springfield, N.J.) leads the team in
batting average (.390), slugging percentage (.660) and walks (23),
while her six homeruns tied the program single-season record set a
year ago by junior teammate Katy McManus. She also is tied
for team-high honors in hits (39) and her seven doubles are
second-best on the squad.
The Cougars await a possible bid to their second straight ECAC tournament. The field will be announced on Monday, May 7.