Fontbonne brings home conference hardware; multiple Griffins nationally ranked
Elsah, Ill. - Eight Fontbonne softball players have garnished conference awards this season.
Junior Madi Leonard was named the Pitcher of the Year and senior Cassi Glixman (first base) was named Player of the Year, earning the high-caliber accomplishment in back to back years. Freshman Sam Brown earned Newcomer of the Year honors for Fontbonne.
Leonard and Glixman were first team All-Conference members as were Griffins Lindsay Schaefer (utility player), Shannon Fitzpatrick (center fielder) and Danni Glixman (third base). Brown (utility player) and Emily Smith (catcher) were second-team All-Conference honorees and freshman Isabel Hotop was named to the SLIAC All-Sportsmanship team.
The following statistics are based on conference-only stats:
Leonard won every conference game the Griffins contended in (18) and led the conference in strikeouts (126) and earned-run average for a starter (.40).
Cassi leads the SLIAC in slugging percentage (1.032) and RBI's (40) is second in conference batting average (.548), is second in doubles (12) and second in home runs (6).
Fitpatrick leads the SLIAC in four categories: runs scored (31), triples (4), walks (17) and on-base percentage (.577).
Danni leads the SLIAC in doubles (13), is second in hits (35) and third among conference players in batting average (.538), slugging percentage (.892) and triples.
Schaefer leads the SLIAC in earned-run average (.37) and saves (3).
Smith who hasn't had a passed ball or error all year, is third in the SLIAC in doubles (10). The junior has a .417 batting average and .667 slugging percentage.
Brown earned Newcomer of the Year honors after batting .452 (6th) and recording an on-base percentage of .520 (7th) and a slugging percentage of .714 (7th).
Before this season's conference tournament began, multiple Griffins are ranked nationally among NCAA Div. III players based on their overall statistics:
Leonard: tied for first in victories (22) and is seventh in strikeouts (184).
Cassi Glixman: fifth in RBI's (53) and sixth in RBI's per game (1.47).
Schaefer's three saves ranks her eighth nationally.
As a team, the Griffins are fifth in the nation in earned-run average (1.09) and 10th in double plays per game (.53).