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Softball Award Winners Named May 12, 2006 Seven members of the 2006 Falcon softball team have earned team awards. Pitcher Brittany Rathbun (So., Rochester, Minn. Mayo HS) and third baseman Emily Howlett (So., Eagan, Minn.) were named Co-Most Valuable Players. Howlett was also named the team's Best Defensive Player award winner. Howlett, who was named to the first All-WIAC team in 2006, started all 42 games of the season at third base and hit .328, fifth on the team. She was one of thee players who finished with more than 40 hits, she had 40. She was third in doubles (10), had one triple and was tied for second in home runs (3). She was second in RBI (24). Howlett, who batted third in the order for most of the season, had a .500 slugging percentage and a .417 on-base percentage. She had 11 sacrifices and stole one base. She struck out only seven times and walled eight times. She was third in runs scored (24). She was a dependable fielder and had a .906 fielding percentage. She was named the team's Player of the Week on April 24. She had nine multiple hit games and three multiple RBI games. Shortstop Mindy Rudiger (Fr., Menomonie, Wis.), who earned honorable mention to the All-WIAC team, won the team's Best Offensive Player award. She finished second in the team in hitting with a .348 average. She played and started all 42 games for the Falcons and hit in the lead off spot for most of the season. She led the team in at bats (135), runs scored (35) and doubles (12). The 35 runs she scored is fourth and the 12 doubles is second in a single season. She hit three home runs. She also had 18 RBI. She had a .504 slugging percentage and led the Falcons with a .417 on-base percentage. She stole seven bases and was caught stealing twice. A shortstop with great range, she had a .906 fielding percentage. She had 12 multiple hit games and seven multiple RBI games. She was named the team's Player of the Week on April 17. Outfielder Rachel Mathias (Fr., Ripon, Wis.) earned the team's Most Improved Player award. The left fielder battled her way into a starting position at about the halfway point of the season. She played in 35 games and started 26 times in left, center and right field. She hit .273 and had five doubles and two home runs. She had 14 RBI and scored 14 runs. She finished the season with a .439 slugging percentage and a .304 on-base percentage. She stole two bases. She had four multiple hit games and four multiple RBI games. Catcher Margo Taylor (Jr., Forest Lake, Minn.) won the team's Most Dedicated award for the second straight season. She played in 24 games and finished the year with a .138 average and two RBIs. She has been the team's top pinch hitter for the past two seasons. She started two games behind the plate and handled 15 chances without an error. She was one of three juniors on a team that had no seniors. Pitcher Ashley Bertrand (So., St. Paul, Minn. Como Park HS) and second baseman Cassie Peterson (Fr., New Richmond, Wis.) earned the team's Most Inspirational/Spirit award. Bertrand had a 16-11 record on the mound with a 2.26 ERA. She pitched 145.1 innings and allowed 141 hits. She appeared in 38 games and started 33 times. She walked only 34 and struck out 124. The 124 strikeouts, 38 appearances and 33 starts are all single season Falcon records. She combined with Brittany Rathbun to pitch a no-hitter in a 4-0 win over Franklin & Marshall on March 13. She had five complete games, two shutouts and seven combined shutouts. Opponents hit .256 against her. She was named the team's Pitcher of the Week on May 1, April 24, April 10 and March 20. Peterson played in 12 games and was 3-8 at the plate for a .375 average. She scored six runs and was the team's top pinch runner throughout the season. She had five RBIs and stole one base. She handled three chances in the field without an error. She had a .500 on-base percentage. Peterson had one multiple hit and one multiple RBI game. The Falcons finished 22-19-1 overall and 5-9 in the WIAC. |
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