Photo Courtesy of Pacific Athletics
Stockton, Calif. – The Pacific Softball Team has handed out its 2014 team awards, coach Brian Kolze announced Monday afternoon.
The Libby Matson Most Valuable Player for 2014 is senior outfielder Taylor Petty. Petty led the West Coast Conference in average, hitting at a .367 clip while reaching base 48.3% of the time. Petty led the Tigers in RBIs (30), walks (31) and doubles (8) and tied for the team lead in hits with 51. Petty proved to be the Tigers greatest offensive threat during conference play, hitting .383 with 18 RBIs against WCC foes. Petty is a finalist for the WCC Player of the Year, which will be awarded later this week.
The Char Burshiem Most Improved Player award goes to senior Gabby Goyette. The senior had a breakout campaign for the Tigers in 2014, tying Petty with a team-leading 51 hits in 156 at bats while adding eight steals. Goyette had 18 multi-hit games and provided an on-base presence from the top of the Pacific order in her first full season as a starter in left field. She also shared the award with junior Alexi Johnson following her 2012 sophomore campaign.
The Marge Larsen Most Inspirational Award was shared by senior Megan Foglesong and Johnson. This season, Foglesong appeared in 34 games, posting a .302 average, good for a top-20 finish in the WCC. She tallied 26 hits and 14 RBIs, despite limited playing time due injury. Johnson saw action in just two games for the Tigers this year due to medical reasons, but was a constant presence as a leader for Pacific in the dugout and in the classroom, recording a 3.32 GPA as a business administration major. The plaudit represents the fourth team award for the junior, as she also was honored with the Most Improved Player designation in 2012 and 2013 and the Academic Achievement Award in 2013.
Sophomore Sara Anderson was named the recipient the Catherine Harnack Academic Achievement Award. The Social Science major has a 3.86 GPA and was named to the All-WCC Academic Team following her first year of eligibility for academic recognition. On the field, Anderson saw the majority of time as the Tigers leadoff hitter, recording 38 hits in 133 at bats. Anderson tied the team record while establishing the WCC record for most hits in a game after recording five singles on April 12th in an 11 inning contest at Loyola Marymount.
