Radcliffe named MIAC Pitcher of the Year

May 14, 2009

Junior Marta Radcliffe was named the MIAC Pitcher of the Year and was one of four Tommies softball players voted to the 23-player All-MIAC softball first team announced this week.

In addition to the four first-teamers, four Tommies were voted honorable mention All-MIAC. The eight players played a big role in helping coach John Tschida's team post a 40-6 season record, including wins in 23 of 25 games vs. conference opponents.

Radcliffe went 22-6 this season and now has a record of 42-9 for her career. In all games she has recorded 160 innings, 173 strikeouts, and a 1.80 era. This is her second consecutive season on the All-Conference team.

In 2009 MIAC games, she posted a record of 11-2 and an ERA of 1.40 and was second in the conference with 84 strikeouts over 70 innings pitched. Radcliffe also held opposing batters to an average of .150, second best in the conference.

Other repeat first-team All-MIAC honorees were junior OF Alison Wright, senior catcher Steph Moores and senior OF Missy Bruggeman. 

Senior third baseman Kaitlyn Wightman followed up her first team selection last year with an honorable mention this year after swtiching positions from second base. She is joined on the honorable mention team by senior shortstop Morgan Betker, freshman pitcher Christy Gries, and senior first baseman Colleen Owen. Senior Sarah Peters was named to the All-MIAC sportsmanship team.

Wright made her third straight appearance on the All-Conference team after leading the MIAC in runs scored with 31 and finishing third in the conference with a batting average of .500. In 22 conference games she notched 36 hits, 21 runs, seven doubles, 3 homers, 29 RBI and five walks. In all 46 games she had 76 hits, 49 runs, 16 doubles, 10 home runs, 59 RBI, 10 walks and 13 steals. the 76 hits were four shy of the MIAc season record set in 2006 by UST's Carrie Embree. Wright now has in xx career games.

Wright, an All-American as a junior, is on pace to be a four-time All-MIAC honoree and the conference career hits leader. She had a 34-game hitting streak earlier this season -- the third longest in D-III history) -- from April 2008-April 2009. That included hits in first 23 games this season.

Wright hit .493 last season with 68 hits, 45 runs, 37 RBI, nine HRs, 17 doubles. On her three-year career, she's helped UST post a 124-15 record (73-2 vs. conference teams). She's batting .465 on her career with 197 hits, 119 runs, 126 RBI, 23 homers, 44 doubles and two triples in 136 games. Wright has 65 career multi-hit games. Her 23 career HRs ranks sixth in MIAC history. She was named MVP of the April 30-May 1 conference tournament.

Moores finished in the top 15 for conference batting average leaders with an average of .403. In 22 games she recorded 27 hits, 13 runs, six doubles, three homers, 17 RBI and two walks. In all games she had a batting average of .447, 63 hits, 29 runs, 15 doubles, eight home runs, 49 RBI and seven walks.

Bruggeman also made first-team All-Midwest Region. She had 72 hits and 45 runs in 46 games and batted a team-best .514. Last season, in 42 games overall, Bruggeman batted .400 with 40 hits, 26 runs, 10 RBI, seven doubles, four walks and eight steals. In 185 career games she had 184 hits, 126 runs, 67 steals and batted .419.