Johnson selected as MAC Softball Pitcher of the Year, Kirkpatrick selected to All-MAC Second Team
5/7/2013 12:00:00 AM | Softball
CLEVELAND, Ohio – Kent State sophomore right-hander Emma Johnson (Groveport, Ohio) was named the 2013 Mid-American Conference Softball Pitcher of the Year and selected to the All-MAC First Team as announced today (May 7) by the league office. The MAC East Division champion Golden Flashes also had sophomore right fielder Kim Kirkpatrick (Olmsted Falls, Ohio) selected to the All-MAC Second Team.
Johnson, who earned her fourth MAC East Pitcher of the Week award of the season yesterday (May 6), was the conference's most dominant pitcher this spring. She finished the regular season 20-10 overall with two saves and a 1.67 ERA over 34 appearances (24 starts). Johnson struck out 196 batters in 197 innings and limited opponents to a paltry .191 batting average.
Conference play is where Johnson shined. She led the league in wins with a 12-3 record and posted a 1.58 ERA in 18 appearances (12 starts). Johnson struck out 95 batters in 106.2 innings and held opponents to a .196 batting average.
Johnson was excellent during the final week of the regular season as Kent State clinched the MAC East Division title and the No. 2 seed in this week's MAC Tournament. Johnson went 2-1, including starting and winning both games on May 3 as the Golden Flashes swept Miami in a doubleheader in Oxford to clinch their first division crown since 2010. Johnson allowed no earned runs on 10 hits with 10 strikeouts in 14 innings over two games against the Redhawks.
Kirkpatrick has started all 47 games for the Flashes this season. She leads the team in batting average (.347), runs scored (28), hits (50), doubles (11), slugging percentage (.486) and on-base percentage (.454), while tied for the lead in home runs (3). Kirkpatrick's 18 RBI are third-best on the club.
In 22 conference games, Kirkpatrick batted .388 (26-for-67) with 14 runs scored, six doubles, a home run, nine RBI, a .522 slugging percentage and a .506 on-base percentage.
The MAC East Division champion Golden Flashes will be the No. 2 seed for the MAC Tournament, which begins Wednesday (May 8) at Firestone Stadium in Akron, Ohio. The Flashes (27-19-1, 16-6) have won seven of their last eight conference games.
Kent State will play at 7:30 p.m. Thursday (May 9) against No. 3 Central Michigan (29-18, 15-7), No. 6 Bowling Green (26-22, 9-13), or No. 7 Ohio (26-27, 9-13). MAC regular season champion Ball State (35-15, 18-3) is the tournament's top seed.
2013 MAC Softball Player of the Year
Jennifer Gilbert, Ball State
2013 MAC Softball Pitcher of the Year
Emma Johnson, Kent State
2013 MAC Softball Freshman of the Year
Nicole Steinbach, Ball State
2013 MAC Softball Coach of the Year
Craig Nicholson, Ball State
2013 Nan Harvey Award Winner
Jessica Barnett, Northern Illinois
2013 All-MAC Softball First Team
P Jamie Kertes, Bowling Green
P Kara Dorbos, Central Michigan
P Emma Johnson, Kent State
C Kayla Ledbetter, Miami
C Lauren Gellerman, Ohio
1B Taylor Rager, Ball State
1B Jennifer Barnett, Northern Illinois
2B Amanda Stanton, Eastern Michigan
3B Diana Patterson, Western Michigan
SS Katy Blaharski, Eastern Michigan
OF Jennifer Gilbert, Ball State
OF Macy Merchant, Central Michigan
OF Nicole Gremillion, Northern Illinois
UT(P) Jenna Modic, Miami
UT Hailey Reed, Miami
2013 All-MAC Softball Second Team
P Nicole Steinbach, Ball State
P Paris Imholz, Bowling Green
P Tori Speckman, Buffalo
C Cory DeLamielleure, Central Michigan
1B Paige Berger, Bowling Green
1B Loren Nagy, Western Michigan
2B Courtney McCarthy, Toledo
3B Trista Cox, Central Michigan
SS Hannah Fulk, Bowling Green
SS Carol Ann Sexauer, Central Michigan
OF Amanda Carpenter, Ball State
OF Kim Kirkpatrick, Kent State
OF Lindsey Tobias, Toledo
UT(P) Jessica Sturm, Northern Illinois
UT Chelsea Hortman, Ohio
2013 MAC Softball All-Freshman Team
Erin Seiler, Akron, P
Selena Reyna, Ball State, SS
Nicole Steinbach, Ball State, P
Jenna Modic, Miami, P/IF
Hailey Reed, Miami, IF/OF
Taylor Shuey, Miami, OF
Savannah Jo Dorsey, Ohio, P
Jessica Lemieux, Toledo, OF
Loren Nagy, Western Michigan, IF
Melissa Palmer, Western Michigan, UT
