Softball | 5/6/2019 12:53:00 PM
FULL PSAC RELEASE
LOCK HAVEN, PA -
Erin DelPierre (Harrisburg, Pa./Central Dauphin) of the Bloomsburg University softball team was named the 2019 Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Central Freshman of the Year, and head coach
Susan Kocher was named the Central Division Coach of the Year, the league office announced Monday. In addition, DelPierre,
Tara Baney (Howard, Pa./Bellefonte),
Kelsey Impink (Schwenksville, Pa./Perkiomen Valley),
Marissa Shelhamer (Bloomsburg, Pa./Central Columbia),
Abby Wild (Collegeville, Pa./Perkiomen Valley), and
Taylor Winkelman (Springfield, Pa/Springfield) all received All-PSAC Central honors.
Kocher led the Huskies to a 30-17 overall record and the PSAC Central Division regular season championship after being picked to finish second in the preseason coaches poll. It is her second career PSAC Coach of the Year honor after also claiming the award in 2016. The 30 victories marks the sixth time in nine seasons under Kocher that the Huskies have won at least 30 games in a season. She has led the Huskies to a 280-147 overall record in her nine seasons as the Huskies' head coach, leading the team to the PSAC tournament in each season to go along with six NCAA postseason appearances.
DelPierre led the Huskies in batting average (.429), on-base percentage (.470), doubles (12), triples (3), and total bases (84) as a freshman in 2019 – good for sixth in the entire league. She finished fourth in the PSAC in hits (66) and ninth in on-base percentage (.470). DelPierre also finished second on the team in RBI (31), slugging percentage (.545), and stolen bases (7). She struck out only eight time in 154 at bats during the season and had 22 multiple-hit games to lead the team in that category. DelPierre had a season-long 18-game hitting streak from March 20 to April 9.
Wild and Baney were two of the most dominant pitchers in the PSAC this season, guiding the Huskies to a conference-best 2.28 ERA as a staff. Wild earned her first All-PSAC selection this season after leading Bloomsburg in wins (17), strikeouts (153), and innings pitched (145.1). The sophomore ranked third in the conference in ERA (1.97) second in opponents batting average (.223), and her 153 strikeouts were good for fourth in the PSAC. Wild tallied a career-high 11 strikeouts and surrendered just one hit in a shutout victory over IUP back on April 27.
Baney was fifth in the conference in ERA (2.23), seventh in strikeouts (110), and 10th in wins (13). Opponents hit just .223 off Baney this season, which was good for third in the PSAC. In addition, the sophomore notched a team-high five shutouts, and walked just 45 batters in 135.0 innings of work. Earlier this season, Baney hurled 27.0 consecutive innings without allowing an earned run. This is the second consecutive all-conference selection for Baney, who received an at-large honor as a freshman in 2018.
A trio of Huskies infielders earned All-PSAC honors as Impink and Winkelman were selected at second base and shortstop, respectively, and Shelhamer (third base) received an at-large selection. Impink started all 47 games for Bloomsburg this season, and batted .277 with a team-high 10 doubles, 19 RBI, and and 26 runs scored. This is the junior's first all-conference selection.
A four-time All-PSAC honoree, Winkelman also started every game for the Huskies, and posted an impressive .352 average with 16 runs batted in and a team-high 35 runs scored. The senior worked a team-high 14 walks from the leadoff position, and led Bloomsburg in stolen bases with nine. Winkelman, who was named PSAC Freshman of the Year back in 2016, is eighth on the Huskies all-time hits list (240), ninth in runs scored (153), and fifth in career doubles (52).
Shelhamer had a tremendous senior season for Bloomsburg, posting a .286 batting average with 30 RBI and five home runs. She started all 47 games at third base, and added nine doubles, 14 walks, and 25 runs scored. This marks the first All-PSAC selection for Shelhamer.
