5/28/2009
SUNY Cortland junior Katie Finch (Amsterdam/Broadalbin-Perth) has been named the 2009 Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Division III Upstate New York Softball Pitcher of the Year. In addition, Finch and sophomore second baseman Donnalyn Cross (Binghamton/Chenango Valley) have both been selected to the All-ECAC Upstate New York first team.
Finch, a second team All-American this spring, 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. She tied for second nationally in saves, ranked fourth with 10.2 stirkeouts per seven innings and tied for fifth in victories.
Cross, a first team All-American, 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). Her 13 triples were best nationally in Division III and a new school single-season record. Cross also led the Red Dragons in batting average, homers, runs scored, steals, on-base percentage (.446) and slugging percentage (.691).
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.