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For Immediate Release
Softball -- May 6, 2011
Eureka Softball Trio Earns All-SLIAC Honors
FERGUSON, Mo. – Three Eureka College softball players have been named to the All-St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Team, according to an announcement from SLIAC Commissioner Will Wolper at the SLIAC Tournament in Ferguson, Mo. on Friday. Junior outfielder Sara Hamilton (Washington, Ill./Washington H.S./Illinois Central) was named to the All-SLIAC First Team, while junior second baseman Tomi Tapper (East Peoria, Ill./East Peoria H.S.) and freshman outfielder Caty Eeten (Eureka, Ill./Eureka H.S./Illinois Central) received Honorable Mention.
A first-year player on the Eureka roster after a two-year junior college stint at nearby Illinois Central, Hamilton led all SLIAC players in 2011 with a .488 batting average (39-for-80) and ranked third in slugging percentage (.800) and on-base percentage (.528). Hamilton led the Red Devils with five home runs and shared the team lead with 22 runs batted in, and her five home runs already rank tied for fifth all-time at Eureka. She also led the league with a .528 batting average and a .582 on-base percentage against SLIAC opponents. Hamilton hit safely in 23 of Eureka’s 28 games this spring and posted a .595 batting average with two home runs and 11 RBI during a 14-game hit streak from March 17 though April 16.
Tapper’s Honorable Mention selection marks the second consecutive season she’s received all-conference honors after being named to the All-SLIAC First Team as a sophomore in 2010. Tapper started all 28 games at second base and hit .344 (31-for-90) with three home runs and joined Hamilton as the Eureka leader with 22 RBI. She hit three triples to rank in a tie for third place among SLIAC players and her three home runs extended her career total to six, tied for second-most all-time at Eureka. She also proved to be one of Eureka’s most dependable infielders, leading the Red Devils with 63 assists and successfully converting 91 consecutive defensive chances to start the season.
In addition to her Honorable Mention selection, Tapper was chosen as Eureka’s representative for the All-SLIAC Sportsmanship Team. One player from each member school is named to the team.
Eeten made the transition from basketball to softball and responded with an outstanding debut season on the diamond, hitting .314 (27-for-86) with two home runs and 13 RBI in 28 starts primarily out of the leadoff spot in the Eureka lineup. She was perfect in four stolen base attempts and her .979 fielding percentage led all Eureka starters. Eeten also contributed in the pitching circle, making seven starts and compiling a 2-4 record with a 4.16 earned run average over 38.2 innings pitched. She threw five complete games and earned her first career victory in a one-hit shutout during a 14-0 drubbing of Rust (Miss.) on March 15 in Memphis, Tenn.
Blackburn senior Grace Young repeated as the SLIAC Player of the Year after hitting .425 with 13 home runs and 41 RBI in 36 starts in the Beavers’ outfield. She led Blackburn to a fourth-place finish in the league standings and helped the Beavers secure their first SLIAC Tournament berth since 2008. Ashley Meagher of Webster was chosen as the SLIAC Pitcher of the Year, while Fontbonne shortstop Marissa Simon was named SLIAC Newcomer of the Year. Ryan Sackett of Blackburn and Ken Leavoy of Principia shared the SLIAC Coach of the Year award. Principia received the SLIAC’s annual Sportsmanship Award.
The Red Devils ended the 2011 season on Monday with a 10-18 overall record and a 7-9 SLIAC record to finish in a tie for sixth place in the conference with Westminster. Eureka hit 12 home runs as a team this season, breaking the single-season school record of 11 set by the Red Devils in 2010.
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For More Information Contact:
Bryan Moore
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