MC_SB_Brooke_Smitherman
Mississippi College junior Brooke Smitherman finished the season ranked in the top 10 in seven league categories and set or tied five ASC records.
ASC Announces Softball Awards, Smitherman Named Player of the Year
Bookmark and Share
RICHARDSON, Texas – Mississippi College junior Brooke Smitherman was named Player of the Year to highlight the 2014 American Southwest Conference
softball teams, the ASC office announced Monday (May 5), after a vote of the league's head coaches.
 
Smitherman (Prattville, Ala./Prattville HS) finished the season ranked in the top 10 in seven league categories and set or tied five ASC records. One of the hardest outs in the league, Smitherman struck out just seven times in 81 at bats and worked the count to a conference single-season record 49 walks, which contributed to a league-leading .693 on-base percentage. When she didn’t get a free pass to first base, Smitherman swung her way to a record-setting .938
slugging percentage and became one of four players in league history to hit three home runs in a game (March 7). A three-time all-conference selection, Smitherman finished the season ranked second in batting average (.506), fifth in home runs (9) and RBI (38) and holds the career record for most walks (113) set in three seasons.
 
Texas-Tyler sophomore Kelsie Batten (Huntington, Texas /Huntington HS) was named Pitcher of the Year after leading the conference in wins (24) and innings pitched (156.2). A two-time ASC Pitcher of the Year recipient (East Division 2013), Batten compiled the longest consecutive innings streak
(59.2) of any ASC pitcher without giving up an earned run. She finished the regular season ranked third in ERA (0.67), strikeouts (98), and fourth in opponent batting average (.182).
 
Texas-Tyler freshman Alaina Kissinger (Telephone, Texas/Sam Rayburn HS) received Newcomer of the Year honors after a near lights-out performance on the mound. Kissinger led the ASC in ERA (0.48), runs allowed (11), opponent batting average (.152) and ranked fourth in strikeouts (89) and fifth in wins (13).
 
East Texas Baptist freshman Lacey Lindsey (Leander, Texas/Leander HS) was named Freshman of the Year. The league-leader in RBI (49),
home runs (14) and total bases (102), Lindsey also ranked third in slugging percentage (.903), fifth in batting average (.442), on-base percentage (.519) and runs scored (36).
 
Louisiana College senior shortstop Meagan Pearson (Frierson, La./North DeSoto HS) received the Sportsmanship Athlete of the Year award. A two-time
all-conference selection, Pearson led the ASC in batting average (.514 and ranked second in on-base percentage (.573) in addition to 11 doubles and 33 RBI, both top-10 league numbers. Earlier this season, Pearson became the ninth player in league history to record seven RBI in a single game (Feb. 22) and the first LC player to join the list.
 
Texas-Tyler (Mike Reed, Whitney Wyly, Megan Dobrinski, Christy Gipson, Coby Gipson, Ashley Endsley, Michelle Jones) received the Coaching Staff of the Year award. The Patriots set the league record for most wins against conference opponents in a single season (31) and won the league’s
regular season championship.
 
In addition to Brooke Smitherman, Texas-Tyler senior outfielder Lauren Robenalt, Mary Hardin-Baylor senior pitcher Rebekah Ragsdale, East Texas Baptist senior pitcher Shelby Parker and Texas-Dallas junior Avery McHugh received their third all-conference awards.
 
Texas-Tyler leads all teams with 10 all-conference selections including five first-team honorees. East Texas Baptist recorded nine all-conference selections with a league-best seven first-team members.

 
Individual Awards
Player of the Year – Brooke Smitherman, Mississippi College
Pitcher of the Year – Kelsie Batten, Texas-Tyler
Newcomer of the Year – Alaina Kissinger, Texas-Tyler
Freshman of the Year – Lacey Lindsey, East Texas Baptist
Sportsmanship Athlete of the Year – Meagan Pearson, Louisiana College
Coaching Staff of the Year –Texas-Tyler
(Mike Reed, Whitney Wyly, Megan Dobrinski, Christy Gipson, Coby Gipson, Ashley Endsley, Michelle Jones)
 
First Team
Pos. Name Class School Hometown (High School)
1B Brooke Smitherman*3 Jr. Mississippi College Prattville, Ala. (Prattville)
1B Lacey Lindsey* Fr. East Texas Baptist Leander, Texas (Leander)
2B Lacy Liles2 Sr. East Texas Baptist Elysian Fields, Texas (Elysian Fields)
SS Meagan Pearson2 Sr. Louisiana College Frierson, La. (North DeSoto)
3B Vanessa Carrizales So. Texas-Tyler Austin, Texas (St. Michaels)
C Courtney Ivey Jr. Louisiana College Sieper, La. (Oak Hill)
OF Lauren Robenalt3 Sr. Texas-Tyler San Antonio, Texas (Brandeis)
OF Shay Mickens Jr. Mississippi College Odenville, Ala. (St. Clair County)
OF Alyssa Romero2 Sr. East Texas Baptist Humble, Texas (Atascosita)
UT Jessica Ramos So. Texas-Dallas El Paso, Texas (Andress)
DP Jayme Perez* Fr. East Texas Baptist Austin, Texas (James Bowie)
DP Mel Hinojosa* Fr. Texas-Tyler Houston, Texas (La Porte)
P Kelsie Batten2 So. Texas-Tyler Huntington, Texas (Huntington)
P Rebekah Ragsdale3 Sr. Mary Hardin-Baylor Orange, Texas (West Orange)
P Shelby Parker3 Sr. East Texas Baptist Brazoria, Texas (Columbia)
*Indicates tie in position
 
(First-Team At-large)
P Kelly Jo McLendon So. East Texas Baptist Livingston, Texas (Livingston)
P Alaina Kissinger Fr. Texas-Tyler Telephone, Texas (Sam Rayburn)
OF Kayla Garcia2 Jr. East Texas Baptist Navasota, Texas (Navasota)
 
Second Team
1B Jackie Mendez So. Texas-Tyler San Antonio, Texas (Wagner)
2B Stephanie Jaeger2 Sr. Louisiana College Haughton, La. (Haughton)
SS Shelby Shelton Sr. Texas-Tyler Hughes Springs, Texas (Hughes Springs)
3B Hannah Contreras* Fr. Concordia Texas Austin, Texas (Lake Travis)
3B Victoria Gomez*2 Sr. Mary Hardin-Baylor Pflugerville, Texas (Pflugerville)
C KK Stevens Fr. Texas-Tyler Plano, Texas (East)
OF Avery McHugh3 Jr. Texas-Dallas Uvalde, Texas (Uvalde)
OF Leah Brown Fr. Mary Hardin-Baylor Waco, Texas (Crawford)
OF Whitney Burt Jr. Texas-Tyler Carrollton, Texas (Hebron)
UT Braleigh Middleton Fr. Hardin-Simmons Abilene, Texas (Wylie)
DP Bethany Fletcher Jr. Mississippi College Woodville, Miss. (Wilkinson County Christian)
P Lacie Patterson Jr. Mississippi College Southaven, Miss. (Southaven)
P Emily Hardaway* Fr. Hardin-Simmons Midland, Texas (Midland)
P Taylor Thibodeaux* Sr. LeTourneau Angleton, Texas (Angleton)
P Nancy Bunting So. Louisiana College Bentley, La. (Grant)
 
(Second-Team At-large)
OF Emorie Nugent Jr. Louisiana College Greenwood, La. (Byrd)
OF Kourtney Bevers2 So. Mary Hardin-Baylor Liberty Hill, Texas (Liberty Hill)
P Haley Parker Fr. Mary Hardin-Baylor Bryan, Texas (Earl Rudder)
*Indicates tie in position
 
Third Team
1B Dayton Kunz Jr. Mary Hardin-Baylor College Station, Texas (A&M Consolidated)
2B Raven Rodriguez2 So. Texas-Tyler Houston, Texas (Waltrip)
SS Kaitlyn Hollingshead Fr. East Texas Baptist New Braunfels, Texas (Canyon)
3B Laura Gulotta-Parrish Sr. Louisiana College Plaquemine, La. (St. Joseph's Academy)
C Mallory Westbrook2 Jr. East Texas Baptist Rusk, Texas (Rusk)
OF Chelsea Sartor So. Texas-Dallas Plano, Texas (Plano)
OF Megan Everett Fr. Mississippi College Pearland, Texas (Pearland)
OF Dayna Whitmire So. Sul Ross State Shepherd, Texas (Shepherd)
DP Kimber Gruehl Fr. Louisiana College Lecompte, La. (Alexandria Senior)
P Sara Davison Fr. Texas-Dallas Round Rock, Texas (Round Rock)
P Taylor Leger Fr. Louisiana College Opelousas, La. (Westminster Christian)
P Haley McKee So. Ozarks Hartman, Ark. (Westside)
 
(Third-Team At-large)
SS Macey Lee2 Jr. Mississippi College Pearl, Miss. (Pearl)
2B Jessica Parish*2 Sr. Concordia Texas Lexington, Texas (Lexington)
C Jourdan Glover* Sr. LeTourneau Fort Worth, Texas (Southwest Christian)
C Tori Bankston* Jr. Mississippi College Watson, La. (Live Oak)
*Indicates tie in ranking
 
Honorable Mention
1B Kara LeLeux So. Hardin-Simmons Cypress, Texas (Cypress Ranch)
1B Sandy Ouchley So. Louisiana College Rocky Branch, La. (Farmerville)
2B Mac Clay Sr. Hardin-Simmons Abilene, Texas (Wylie)
2B Lauren Mulligan So. Mississippi College New Orleans, La. (Dominican)
SS Katie Carrizales Sr. Concordia Texas Houston, Texas (Cypress Falls)
SS Myranda Hinojosa Fr. Mary Hardin-Baylor Edinburg, Texas (Edinburg)
SS Amanda Garza Jr. Sul Ross State San Benito, Texas (San Benito)
3B Anna Winter Sr. LeTourneau Southlake, Texas (Carroll)
3B Jessica Castellano So. Sul Ross State Alpine, Texas (Alpine)
C Jessica Borrego So. Concordia Texas Spring, Texas (Klein Collins)
C Chandler Henson Sr. Mary Hardin-Baylor Van Alstyne, Texas (Van Alstyne)
C Aly Hudec So. Texas-Dallas Sugar Land, Texas (St. Agnes)
OF Molly Bowman Sr. Ozarks Springdale, Ark. (Har-Ber)
OF Clarissa Hernandez So. Sul Ross State El Paso, Texas (Andress)
DP Erin McLeod Jr. Howard Payne Eufaula, Okla. (Frisco-Liberty)
Two-Time All-Conference Selection2
Three-Time All-Conference Selection 3