Four M SB Players Earn All-American Honors

Four members of the Michigan Softball team earned All-American Honors by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA).  Amanda Chidester, Jordan Taylor, Ashley Lane and Bree Evans were selected.  The honors were released today

There are not many surprises here.  Chiddy came on strong for M and was selected Big 10 Player of the Year.  She lead the team in several batting categories and played a helleva 3B.  She made first team. 

JT was lights out all year.  She got roughed up a little in the regionals and that may have hurt slightly as she was selected to the second team. 

My All-American selection Ashely Lane was chosen for the second team as well.  Her hitting power was the spark we needed in the 5 hole.  She may have made first team but she had a few too many strikeouts including several called thrid strikes.  Coaches HATE called third strikeouts.

Bree Evans was a slight surprise, I'm sure, to the rest of the nation but not to us.  She was the spark that got the rally going.  Her OB% and her speed is awesome.  She is not a home run hitter as we all know, but she gets the job done.

Left out was Dorian Shaw.  This was somewhat of a surprise to me because Dorian's numbers were still very good and deserved a Third Team honor.  However, she slipped in the second half of the season and that hurt her.

Another point.  If Colie did not get injured and was able to play in the Regionals, it would have been a completely different outcome.  Combine that with a bad call in the first KY game on Chiddy, and we could have won the regionals and played Cal in the Supers.  JT's stock would have been higher for sure.

Softball is a very fickle game.  Both losses in the regionals were by 1 run.  A bad call, a bad bounce, a hit's batmen, and a simple Texas Leaguer was enough to keep JT off the First Team.

Congrats to these 4 ladies and thanks for a wonderful season.  We wish JT luck in her professioinaln career and the remining 3 let's come back in the fall with piss and vinegar to kick some butt.  Its great.....to be .......a Michigan Wolverine.

 

Here is the link to the mothership:  www.mgoblue.com/sports/w-softbl/spec-rel/060111aaa.html