Leanne Risberg | Rudi Cantu |
Krista Sitka | Amber Anderson |
Ashley Kappler |
FRISCO ? Senior Leanne Risberg, juniors Rudi Cantu and Krista Sitka and freshmen Amber Anderson and Ashley Kappler have been named to the All-Southland Conference Softball Team, the league office announced Tuesday.
Risberg was selected to the first team outfield, while Cantu and Anderson were picked for the second team outfield. Sitka was chosen to the second team at first base and Kappler garnered honorable mention accolades at second base.
It marked the third overall and second first-team honor for Risberg, the lone senior on this year’s team. The New Orleans, La., native batted .314 with 27 hits, three doubles, five home runs and 17 RBIs in league play and is hitting .289 with five doubles, five home runs, 21 RBIs and 20 runs scored on the season. She has drawn 16 walks, been hit by a pitch six times, tallied a .382 on-base percentage and a .430 slugging percentage and she recorded a team-best nine-game hitting streak from Feb. 28-March 16. An everyday starter in right field, Risberg made just one error in 47 chances (.979 fielding percentage).
Risberg earned first-team honors in the outfield two years ago and was a third-team selection last year. She is just the eighth player in school history to earn multiple first-team accolades.
Cantu also picked up her third career all-conference honor with the second-team selection. The Alvin native hit .314 with 33 hits, one double, one triple, seven RBIs and 24 runs scored in league play and is batting 302 with a team-best 55 hits, three doubles, two triples, 10 RBIs and 31 runs and has posted a team-best 17 multiple-hit games this year. Cantu also has swiped 18 bases (No. 2/single-season list) on 19 attempts, laid down five sacrifice bunts and committed just one error in 77 chances (.987 fielding percentage) defensively, with all but two games played in center field.
Cantu was a first-team selection last year at second base and a third-team honoree as a freshman in the outfield. She joins Risberg as one of 11 players in school history to earn at least three All-SLC nods.
Sitka was named to the second team at first base after collecting honorable mention accolades last season. The Dobie High product hit .299 with 23 hits, four doubles, one home run and 14 RBIs in league games and is batting .246 with 32 hits and 16 RBIs on the season. She has registered four multiple-RBI games, including five in a 4-for-4 performance against Sam Houston State on Feb. 28, and owns a .984 fielding percentage and 328 putouts (No. 9/single-season list) at first base.
Anderson garnered second-team honors in the outfield in her first season with the program. The Alvin native led the team with a .330 batting average, six doubles and 21 RBIs in conference play and is batting .303 with 50 hits, 10 doubles, five home runs, 30 RBIs, 26 runs, a .366 on-base percentage and a .455 slugging percentage this season. She has registered 16 multiple-hit games, including four three-hit outings, a team-best seven multiple-RBI contests and she enjoyed a seven-game hitting streak to start the season (Feb. 6-13). Anderson also has made just one error in 42 chances (.976 fielding percentage), mostly in left field.
Kappler earned honorable mention accolades at second base in her first campaign with the Roadrunners. The Brazoswood High product batted .299 with 29 hits, four doubles, one home run and 10 RBIs in league play and is hitting .265 with 43 hits, five doubles, two home runs, 12 RBIs and 20 runs on the year. She leads the team with 11 sacrifice bunts, has registered 10 multiple-hit games, including three with three hits, and sports a .967 fielding percentage in 53 games, including 50 starts at second base.
The No. 3 seed Roadrunners (27-27) take on six-seed Sam Houston State (26-24) at 1:30 p.m. Thursday, May 7, in the first round of the SLC Tournament in Lake Charles, La.
2009 All-Southland Conference Softball Teams
First Team
C ? Samantha Chumchal, UT Arlington
1B ? Kayla Gutowski, Stephen F. Austin
2B ? Danielle Clayton, Nicholls State
3B ? Briana Bishop, Stephen F. Austin
SS ? Alex Newton, Texas State
OF ? Heather Fortenberry, UT Arlington
OF ? Kendal Harper, Stephen F. Austin
OF ? Leanne Risberg, UTSA
DP ? McKenzie Baack, Texas State
P ? Monika Covington, Stephen F. Austin
P ? Chandler Hall, Texas State
Second Team
C ? Kim Daley, Stephen F. Austin
1B ? Krista Sitka, UTSA
2B ? Ashley Struchtemeyer, Stephen F. Austin
3B ? Jenna Emery, Texas State
SS ? Hailey Wiginton, Sam Houston State
OF ? Amber Anderson, UTSA
OF ? Rudi Cantu, UTSA
OF ? Taylor Hall, Texas State
DP ? Morgan Mikulin, Sam Houston State
P ? Lacey Gros, Nicholls
P ? Bethany Stefinsky, McNeese State
Third Team
C ? Alaina Byars, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi
1B ? Rebecca Collom, UT Arlington
2B ? Whitney Wilson, Sam Houston State
3B ? Heather Sherill, Southeastern Louisiana
SS ? Molly Guidry, McNeese State
OF ? Sarah Garcia, Central Arkansas
OF ? Lindsey Langner, McNeese State
OF ? Andrea Simancas, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi
DP ? Margo Hurdt, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi
P ? Katie Garnett, Texas State
P ? Holli Hill, Central Arkansas
Honorable Mention: Heather Mosser, McN, 1B; Larissa Martin, AMCC, 1B; Leah Boatright, TXST, 1B; Ashley Kappler, UTSA, 2B; Ryan Kos, TXST, 2B; Rachel Baucom, UCA, 3B; Sarah Parich, SHSU, 3B; Stephanie Estrada, AMCC, SS; Casie Everitt, SHSU, C; Erica LeFlore, UTA, DP; Megan Gaspard, NICH, OF; Kendra Spivey, SHSU, OF; Alex Survant, SHSU, OF; Meghan Gomez, SLU, OF; Kristina Tello, TXST, OF; Audrey Wood, NICH, P; Cara Hulme, UTA, P.
Player of the Year ? Alex Newton, Texas State
Hitter of the Year ? Kayla Gutowski, Stephen F. Austin
Pitcher of the Year ? Chandler Hall, Texas State
Utility Player of the Year ? Heather Fortenberry, UT Arlington
Freshman of the Year ? Chandler Hall, Texas State
Newcomer of the Year ? Holli Hill, Central Arkansas
Coach of the Year ? Natalie Poole, McNeese State