UTICA, NY – The SUNYIT softball team was rewarded for putting together one of its finest regular seasons ever with seven selections to the North Eastern Athletic Conference North Division All-Conference Team, which was announced by the NEAC today.
Sophomore shortstop Lyndsey Brognano (Rome, NY/Rome Free Academy) and junior outfielder Amanda Pratt (Rochester, NY/Rush-Henrietta) were both selected to the All-Conference First Team for the second straight season. Brognano had another sensational season, leading the team in hits (41), runs scored (39), doubles (13), stolen bases (9) and on base percentage (.510), while being second in home runs (5), RBI (29), total bases (69), walks (10), batting average (.461) and slugging percentage (.775). She continued her torrid pace of scoring runs, as she is currently second in the nation in that category after being first last season and is already the program's all-time leader in runs scored.
Pratt also had a tremendous season, leading the team with a .463 batting average and three sacrifice flies while also registering 37 hits, 28 RBI, 24 runs scored, nine doubles, two home runs, a .650 slugging percentage and a .505 on base percentage. Pratt, who posted a 13-game hitting streak this season, continued her climb through the program record books, as she is currently second all-time in both career RBI and hits while being third all-time in career runs scored and doubles and fourth in home runs.
Seniors Meaghan McGurn (Slingerlands, NY/Hudson Valley CC) and Amanda Myers (Boonville, NY/Adirondack), juniors Juleah Vedder (Dolgeville, NY/Dolgeville) and Bianca Brown (Utica, NY/Mohawk Valley CC) and sophomore Lauren Marleau (Prospect, NY/Holland Patent) were all selected to the All-Conference Second Team. McGurn made her second straight appearance on the Second Team after leading SUNYIT with 8 wins, 11 complete games and a 3.44 ERA, which was the fourth lowest in program history. She also got it done at the plate, hitting .340 with 18 hits, 15 RBI, 11 runs scored and two home runs. McGurn has left her mark while on the mound during the past two seasons, as she is third in program history in career victories and shutouts while being fifth all-time in strikeouts.
Myers also made her second consecutive appearance on the Second Team after leading the Wildcats in both triples (3) and walks drawn (11) while also batting .325 with 27 hits, 27 runs scored, 14 RBI, four doubles and six stolen bases. A team captain, Myers became the program's all-time leader in career walks drawn this season and is currently second all-time in career sacrifice hits, third in career at bats, fourth in both career RBI and runs scored and fifth in career hits, triples, total bases and stolen bases.
Vedder continued to be an offensive force for SUNYIT, leading the Lady Wildcats in home runs (7), RBI (43), total bases (75) and slugging percentage (.843) while being second in hits (40) and doubles (10). She also registered 14 multi-hit games and 11 multi-RBI games this season, which were both team bests, and was also fantastic on the mound, leading the team in wins (9), strikeouts (76) and innings pitched (74.1). Vedder, the program's all-time leader in hits, home runs, RBI, total bases, wins and pitching strikeouts, also won a NEAC Student-Athlete of the Week Award and an ECAC Player of the Week award this season.
Brown made an immediate impact in her first season on the team after transferring from nearby Mohawk Valley Community College. She smashed four of the team's program-record 24 home runs on the year while hitting .431 to be one of four Lady Wildcats to hit over .400 on the season and play a major role in SUNYIT currently ranking first in the nation in batting average. She also drove in 21 runs and scored 17 more in 23 games.
Marleau was sensational both at and behind the plate this season, hitting .398 with 35 hits, 30 runs scored, 16 RBI and five doubles while not committing an error out of 148 chances at the catcher position. She also showed great discipline at the plate, as she is currently the 10th hardest person in Division III to strikeout, only doing so once in 88 at-bats.
The Wildcats finished the regular season 17-10 overall and 12-4 in conference play to clinch the No. 2 seed in the NEAC North Division Tournament, which will be held at Keuka College this Friday and Saturday. SUNYIT will open the double-elimination tournament against No. 3 seed Morrisville State on Friday at 10:00 am.