Rose Recognized as SU Softball MVP
5/3/2004 12:48:04 PM | Softball
SYRACUSE, N.Y. - Junior Tanya Rose was named the SU softball squad's Most Valuable Player at the annual softball team banquet on Sunday, May 2 Rose was the first Orangewoman ever to win the BIG EAST Player of the Week Award twice in one season (March 15 and 22). She ranks second on the team in hitting at .333, and set the school record for runs scored in a season with 38. She is the first player to score at least 30 runs in one season. Rose leads the team with 53 hits, one shy of her school record from 2002. She has 13 multi-hit games, including four three-hit games, and set the school record with a 13-game hitting streak from March 10-April 2.
Sophomores Cassie Morales and Alexis Switenko were honored as the team's Best Offensive Players. Morales is hitting .321, an 87-point improvement from last season. She set the school record with 17 doubles, and ranks second on the team with 34 RBI, the second-best single-season total in school history. Morales and Switenko are the only two players in school history to drive in at least 30 runs in a season. Morales has hit a career-best six home runs, and leads the team with 16 multi-hit games, including five games with three hits.
Switenko leads the team with a .347 batting average, two triples, nine home runs, 40 RBI, 93 total bases and a .620 slugging percentage. She tied her own school record for home runs and took over the career lead with 18 home runs in less than two full seasons. She is the only player in school history to reach the 90-total base mark for a season, while her 40 runs batted in is the best season total in school history.
The Best Defensive Player Award went to catchers Katie Kaempfer and Jaime Grillo. Kaempfer has started all 25 games she’s played in, boasting a .983 fielding percentage. She has made just two errors in 117 chances. Kaempfer has picked off three runners and has caught another seven runners trying to steal. Grillo has also started 25 games behind the plate. She has a .991 fielding percentage, making only one error in 113 chances. Grillo has picked off two runners and caught oter six runners attempting to steal.
The Most Improved Player Award went to senior pitcher Haley Larsen. Larsen has 26 games, throwing 14 complete games. Her 152 and two-thirds innings pitched is fourth on the single-season list. She has thrown two complete-game shutouts (2-0 vs. McNeese State, 4-0 vs. San Diego) this season, the first of her career. Larsen improved her numbers from last season in almost every category, including wins, strikeouts and opponent batting average. She struck out a career-high seven batters in game two against Rutgers.
Senior Rachel Park was honored with the Abbie Bigelow Award for Courage. Park is in her fifth season with the Orangewomen. She missed the 2001 campaign with a knee injury. Park is tied for first on the career hit list with 164. She will finish her career in the top five in almost every offensive category, including batting average, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, runs, walks, doubles, home runs and runs batted in. Park is one of only three players with 200 career total bases. She ranks third on both the games played and games started list. Park is the only player in school history with two four-hit games.
Sophomore Lindsay Van Gorden was recipient of the Verhulst Sportswoman of the Year Award. Van Gorden has played in 36 games, starting twice. She had the first two hits of her career in the doubleheader at San Diego.
The Orangewomen have four regular-season games remaining and are still alive for a BIG EAST Championship berth. SU is currently 24-26 overall and 8-8 in the league. The Orangewomen have doubleheaders remaining at St. John's on May 8 and Seton Hall on May 9. Syracuse can still finish as high as third in the league with four victories.
