On the heels of a 29-12 season and Runner-up finish in the SCAC, Rhodes Softball continued its record breaking season on Wednesday, when a record 9 players were voted to the All-SCAC team in exclusive voting by the SCAC coaches. Sophomore Sara Bowen and freshman Kelli Zomer earned First Team honors, while junior Rebakah Moore along with freshmen Elise Suna and Caroline Cooper were named to the Second Team. Junior Armanda Venezia, sophomores Allison Conn and Cindy Bitters and freshman Chelsea Peters were each named Honorable Mention.
The 9 players on the All-SCAC team are the most Rhodes has ever placed on the team, and 2009 marks the first time Rhodes has placed more than one player on the First Team since the SCAC began honoring multiple teams in 2004.
Bowen, a sophomore from Franklin, TN, earned a spot on the First Team at the Utility position, after putting together an impressive season in the circle and at the plate. In the circle, she tied the Rhodes record for wins in a season, posting a 12-5 record, and picked up 2 saves while striking out an average of 8.2 batters per 7 innings to lead the SCAC. In addition she tossed 6 shutouts, 2 no-hitters and a perfect game, giving her 3 no-hitters for her career. At the plate, Sara led Rhodes and the SCAC with a .464 batting average and 18 doubles, while belting 4 home runs and knocking in 34 runs. Sara, a Second Team All-SCAC performer as a freshman, was also named First Team All-Atlantic Region earlier this season.
Zomer, a freshman from Grand Rapids, MI, split time between second base and outfield this year, and earned a spot on the First Team at second base, hitting .384 on the season. She led Rhodes and the SCAC with 8 home runs, and also led the Lynx with 40 runs scored, 5 stolen bases and 4 triples, while laying down 5 sacrifice bunts on the season. She had earlier been voted to the Second Team All-Atlantic Region as an outfielder.
Moore, a Junior from Munford, TN, makes her 3rd appearance on the All-SCAC team, having been named Honorable Mention as a freshman and Second Team as a sophomore. She became the SCAC All-time leader in home runs on April 5, when she hit her 21st career dinger against Millsaps. She finished second on the team and in the SCAC in home runs with 7, behind Zomer, hit .376 on the season and was second on the team with 36 RBI. In addition to her SCAC home run record, Rebekah is also Rhodes' career leader in RBI with 108, and earlier this season was named Second Team All-Atlantic Region and to the CoSIDA/ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District Team.
Suna, a freshman outfielder from Loveland, OH, earned her spot on the Second Team at both the plate and in the field. She played error free-ball in centerfield this season, including an impressive 6 assists. In addition, she led the SCAC in RBI with 49, setting a Rhodes single-season record, while hitting .436, good for second on the team and 4th in the SCAC. Earlier this season, she was named First Team All-Atlantic Region.
Cooper, a freshman from Lawrenceville, GA, was named to the Second Team as a catcher, throwing out 6 of 10 runners this season who attempted to steal and allowing just 2 passed balls. In the SCAC Champinships alone, she threw out 4 of 4 runners who attempted to steal. In addition, she hit .339 at the plate, belted 3 home runs and had 23 RBI.
The Lynx also placed four players on the Honorable Mention team. Venezia, a junior first baseman from Charlotte, NC, posted a .974 fielding percentage, while hitting .265 and finishing 5th on the team in RBI. Conn, a sophomore shortstop from Houston, TX, hit .427 and finishied second on the team in runs scored with 38. She was also named to the Third Team All-Atlantic Region for her performance this season.
Bitters, a sophomore pitcher from Milstadt, IL, went 8-5 in the circle while holding opponents to a .288 batting average. In the SCAC Championships, she gave up 1 run on 7 hits in the Lynx 4-1 win over Hendrix, putting the Lynx in the championship game. Peters, a freshman pitcher from Oxford, MS, went 7-2 with a 2.54 ERA. At the SCAC Championships, she tossed a 3-hit shutout against Southwestern to help the Lynx advance.