5/12/2009
Five SUNY Cortland softball players have earned spots on the 2009 Louisville Slugger/National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) All-Northeast Region Team.
Junior pitcher Katie Finch (Amsterdam/Broadalbin-Perth), sophomore second baseman Donnalyn Cross (Binghamton/Chenango Valley) and sophomore outfielder Brooke Weidman (Perkinsville/Wayland-Cohocton) were named to the all-region first team. Senior designated player Crystal Carlson (Lancaster/Iroquois) was a second team selection and freshman shortstop Jessica Harman (Penfield) earned a spot on the third team.
In addition, Weidman has been chosen to the 2009 ESPN the Magazine College Division District I All-Academic Softball third team. The team, chosen by College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA), encompasses Division II and III schools from New York and New England. Weidman is a communications studies major with a cumulative 3.64 grade point average, prior to this past spring semester.
Finch, Cross and Weidman are eligible for NFCA All-America honors. The All-America teams will be announced at a banquet on Thursday night in Montclair, N.J., on the eve of the 2009 NCAA Division III World Series.
Finch is 26-5 this season with a 0.95 earned run average and five saves in 36 appearances, 29 as a starter. She has struck out a school record 315 batters and has allowed only 112 hits and 47 walks in 207 and a third innings pitched. Finch has tossed two no-hitters this season and has set school records for single-season strikeouts and saves. She is also Cortland’s career leader with 751 strikeouts and seven saves.
Cross leads the Red Dragons with a .404 batting average, 13 triples, 50 runs scored and 16 stolen bases and shares the team lead with four homers and nine doubles. Her 13 triples are a new school record. A starter in 47 games, Cross has recorded a .979 fielding percentage at second base with only four errors in 189 total chances.
Weidman is second on the team with a .355 batting average and is tied for second with eight stolen bases. She’s also third on the team with 35 runs scored. Weidman has started in center field in all 51 games this spring and has not committed an error in 45 fielding chances.
Carlson is hitting at a .310 clip this spring with seven doubles, two triples, two homers, 36 runs scored and 29 RBI. She leads Cortland with 17 sacrifice hits and is second with 13 walks. Harman is batting .304 with seven doubles, a triple, two homers, 32 RBI and 25 runs scored in 50 games, all as a starter.
Cortland brings a 44-7 record into its sixth Division III World Series appearance this week. The Red Dragons open versus Tufts University Friday at 4 p.m.