Reynolds and Linder Named MAC Pitcher & Coach of the Year; 3 Others All-MAC
5/12/2010 12:00:00 AM | Softball
AKRON - Kent State senior Kylie Reynolds (Greensboro, Ga./Morgan County) was named Mid-American Conference Pitcher of the Year and Karen Linder was named MAC Coach of the Year Wednesday during the conference award ceremony at Firestone Stadium. Four Golden Flashes claimed all-conference honors as Reynolds and junior Jess Carmichael (Dalton, Ohio/Dalton) both earned spots on the All-MAC First Team.
Senior outfielder Leah Archual (Tallmadge, Ohio/Tallmadge) and freshman outfielder Lauren Grimes (Tallmadge, Ohio/Tallmadge) each earned spots on the All-MAC Second Team. Grimes was also named to the MAC All-Freshman Team.
Reynolds becomes the first person to be named MAC Pitcher of the Year in three different seasons and the first player in KSU history to earn first team honors in four consecutive seasons. In conference only games, she led the MAC in wins (15-3), strikeouts (170) and opponent batting average (.179) and ranked second in ERA (1.68). She tied for the league lead in shutouts (3) and her 9.83 strikeouts per game were three more than any other pitcher in the conference. Reynolds recently won her sixth MAC East Pitcher of the Week honor of the season and 18th of her career.
Finishing her 14th season at Kent State, Linder claimed the coaching honor for the third time in her career and the second time in three years. Last month she earned her 400th victory at KSU and 200th MAC victory. After being picked to finish second in the East this season, Linder led her team to a 17-5 conference mark and the co-MAC regular season title. She has guided the Flashes to five straight division crowns and three regular season championships in the last four years.
Carmichael earned a postseason honor for the third consecutive year with her first appearance on the top team. Starting all 22 games at third base, she hit .353 in conference play with six home runs, 17 RBIs and four doubles. Last season, Carmichael was named to the All-MAC Second Team and in 2008 she earned a spot on the All-Freshman Team.
Heading into the MAC Tournament, Grimes led the Golden Flashes in hitting (.394), home runs (11), runs scored (42), on-base percentage (.454), slugging (.639) and stolen bases (8), earning MAC East Player of the Week honors three times this season. Grimes has also thrown out four runners from left field, where she has started since the opening weekend.
Archual, the Flashes' leadoff batter, hit a team-high .367 in MAC play with four doubles and 16 runs scored. She leads the team with three triples and has struck out only 18 times in 174 at bats. Archual also leads the Flashes with 20 multiple hit games. She displayed great range in center field, where she has started the past two seasons.
Kent State continues its quest for a third MAC Tournament title in five seasons this week at Firestone Stadium in Akron.
All MAC First Team
1B- Jill Schulz, Central Michigan
2B- Meghan Mawn, Miami
SS - Sarah Billstrom, Miami
3B- Jessie Ware, Ball State
3B- Jessica Carmichael, Kent State
P - Kylie Reynolds, Kent State
P- Melissa Bonner, Ohio
P-Elizabeth Milian, Ball State
P-Meredith Linch, Miami
C- Sarah Gerber, Eastern Michigan
OF- Jenny Scherer, Eastern Michigan
OF- Zoe Sinner, Northern Illinois
OF- Lisa Rozanski, Ball State
UT (Non-Pitcher) - Paige Berger, Bowling Green
UT (Pitcher) - Emily Wethington, Ohio
All-MAC Second Team
1B- Kate Wilczynski, Ball State
2B-Andrea Colosimo, Northern Illinois
2B- Gracie Barstad, Western Michigan
3B-Daniela Torres, Miami
SS - Hannah Fulk, Bowling Green
SS- Alicia Barkley, Ball State
P- Kari Seddon, Central Michigan
P- Jessica Simpson, Miami
Of- Shaylene Petrich, Ohio
OF- Leah Archual, Kent State
OF- Lauren Grimes, Kent Stat
C-Carly Norton, Northern Illinois
C- Amanda Montalto, Ball State
UT Pitcher - Meredith Whitney, Western Michigan
UT Non-Pitcher - Erinn Wright, Toledo
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Special Awards
Nan Harvey Award - Alicia Hogl, Miami
Pitcher of the Year - Kylie Reynolds, Kent State
Player of the Year - Jessie Ware, Ball State
Freshman of the Year - Paige Berger, Bowling Green
Coach of the Year - Karen Linder, Kent State
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MAC All-Freshman Team
Amanda Carpenter, Ball State
Paige Berger, Bowling Green
Hannah Fulk, Bowling Green
Ashley Bertot, Buffalo
Kara Dornbos, Central Michigan
Summer Knoop, Central Michigan
Lauren Grimes, Kent State
Taylor Rice, Miami
Jennifer Barnett, Northern Illinois
Adriana Sanchez, Northern Illinois
Lauren Gellerman, Ohio
Erinn Wright, Toledo
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