No. 23 University of South Alabama softball had six student-athletes named to All-Sun Belt Conference teams, and the Jaguars earned the league’s Team Academic Award for the second year in a row on Tuesday at Bobcat Softball Stadium, home of Texas State, in San Marcos, as part of Family Night ahead of this week’s conference tournament.
USA freshman right-hander Kalen McGill and sophomore designated player Chloe Rathburn earned first-team honors , while senior pitcher Farish Beard, senior shortstop Kaitlyn Griffith and junior Stephanie Pilkington and sophomore Amanda Minahan, both outfielders, were given second-team honors, each at their respective positions.
South Alabama also recorded a team GPA of 3.44 over the past year to claim the SBC Team Academic Award on Tuesday, which is granted to the team for its overall achievement (quality points = grade x credit hours / # of individuals) in the classroom. USA claimed the award last year with a 3.36 GPA.
McGill finished the regular season with a 16-2 record and team-low 1.82 ERA. The Gainesville, Fla., recorded four saves this year, tops in the SBC, and is currently ranked seventh in the NCAA in walks allowed per seven innings (0.97) and 17th in saves. McGill finished with an 8-1 league record and was twice named SBC Pitcher of the Week this year.
Rathburn currently leads USA at the plate with a .387 batting average, 53 hits and 48 RBI. The Mission Viejo, Calif., native has recorded a team-high 16 multiple-RBI games and is currently four RBI away from tying former Jag standout Brittany Fowler’s single-season record 52, set in 2011. The first-team honor is Rathburn’s second in as many years in a Jaguar uniform.
Beard finished 6-1 in SBC play this season with 53 strikeouts in 40 league innings pitched. The Fairhope, Ala., native allowed only nine earned runs in conference action with three shutouts, while holding opposing SBC batters to a .162 average. Beard is currently ranked 15th in the nation in hits allowed per seven innings (4.33). The all-conference award is Beard’s third.
Griffith hit her 12th home run last weekend at Troy to set a new single-season Jaguar standard in the category. The Centre, Ala., native’s six sacrifice flies this season also set a USA single-season record, Griffith currently ranked sixth in the country in the category. The all-conference honor is the second for Griffith.
Pilkington earns all-conference honors for the second year in a row after leading USA in on-base percentage for the entire season, currently boasting a .485, boosted by a team-high 28 walks. The Lake City, Fla., native reached safely in each of USA’s first 18 games this season and she is currently tied with Rathburn for the team lead in multiple-hit games this season with 14.
Minahan was awarded her first all-SBC honor after batting .354 on the year with a .555 slugging percentage, third-best on the team and a .418 on-base percentage, fourth-best. Minahan is tied for second on the club in home runs with five. The Lisle, Ill., native batted .345 in conference play, second-best on the team.
South Alabama opens tournament play at 5 p.m. on Thursday when it faces the winner of Game 4 (Winner of No. 6 Louisiana-Monroe and No. 7 Texas-Arlington vs. No. 3 Texas State). Links to live stats, live video, highlights and photo galleries for each contest can be found via the SBC Championship Information page on SunBeltSports.org.
The SBC championship game will be played at 1 p.m. on Sat., May 9, and will be televised live on ESPN3. All games on Wednesday and Thursday will be streamed live on sunbeltsports.org. Friday’s three games will be televised live on ESPN3.
Sun Belt All-Conference First Team
P- Randi Rupp, Texas State
P- Kalen McGill, South Alabama
P- Jordan Wallace, Louisiana-Lafayette
P- Jaycee Affeldt, Troy
C- Lexie Elkins, Louisiana-Lafayette
C- Ivie Drake, Georgia State
1B- Kelsey Vincent, Louisiana-Lafayette
1B- Kendall Wiley, Texas State
2B- Haley Hayden, UL Lafayette
SS- Taylor Anderson, Georgia State
3B- Callie Alford, Georgia State
OF- Shellie Landry, Louisiana-Lafayette
OF- Ashley Christy, Georgia State
OF- Rochelle Roberts, Louisiana-Monroe
DP- Chloe Rathburn, South Alabama
Sun Belt All-Conference Second Team
P- Farish Beard, South Alabama
P- Alex Stewart, Louisiana-Lafayette
C- Sarah Warnock, Appalachian State
1B- Alexis Cacioppo, Louisiana-Monroe
1B- Lauren Coleman, Georgia State
2B- Miyuki Navarette, Louisiana-Monroe
SS- Ariel Ortiz, Texas State
SS- Kaitlyn Griffith, South Alabama
3B- Courtney Harris, Texas State
3B- Samantha Walsh, Louisiana-Lafayette
OF- Taylor Rogers, Georgia Southern
OF- Amanda Minahan, South Alabama
OF- Stephanie Pilkington, South Alabama
OF- Becca Hartley, Troy
DP- Leandra Maly, Louisiana-Lafayette
Player of the Year
Lexie Elkins, Louisiana-Lafayette
Pitcher of the Year
Jaycee Affeldt, Troy
Freshman of the Year
Ivie Drake, Georgia State
Co-Coaches of the Year
Beth Mullins, Troy
Michael Lotief, Louisiana-Lafayette
For more information about South Alabama athletics, check back with www.usajaguars.com, and follow the Jaguars at www.twitter.com/USAJaguarSports. Season tickets for all Jaguar athletic events can be purchased by calling (251) 461-1USA (1872).