5/20/2009
SUNY Cortland sophomore second baseman Donnalyn Cross (Binghamton/Chenango Valley) and junior pitcher Katie Finch (Amsterdam/Broadalbin-Perth) have been chosen to the 2009 Louisville Slugger/National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) All-America Team. Cross was selected to the All-America first team and Finch was named to the second team.
The All-America teams were announced on Thursday, May 14, at a banquet on the eve of the NCAA Division III World Series in Montclair, N.J.
Cross batted .401 with four homers, 13 triples, nine doubles, 27 RBI and 51 runs scored in 49 games. She stolen 16 bases in 17 attempts and made only five errors in 203 total fielding chances (.975 fielding percentage). She set a school record for triples in a season and also led the Red Dragons in batting average, homers, runs scored, steals, on-base percentage (.446) and slugging percentage (.691).
Finch earned All-America honors for the second straight season. She was a third team selection as a sophomore last spring. This season, she finished with a 26-7 record, 0.98 earned run average, five saves and 10 solo shutouts in 38 appearances, 31 as a starter. She struck out a school-record 321 batters in 220 and a third innings and threw two no-hitters. Through three seasons, Finch is Cortland’s career leader with 757 strikeouts and seven saves and is third with 67 career victories.
Cortland finished the season with a 44-9 record to set a school record for wins in a season. The Red Dragons advanced to the NCAA Division III World Series for the second straight year and finished tied for seventh nationally.