Indianapolis, IN – The Sage Colleges' softball team boasts a 20-18 record, marking the second straight campaign the Gators have surpassed 20 wins over second year head coach Jamie Brown. In addition to appearing in the 2013 Skyline Conference Tournament, the Gators are hoping their names are called with the release of the 2013 field of participants in the upcoming Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Tournament. A year ago, Sage capped Brown's rookie season as the Skyline Conference and ECAC Metro runners-up.
With the release of the latest NCAA Division III softball statistics, a number of Sage's players are listed as ranked performers.
Sophomore second baseman, Kristen Beikirch (Brockport, NY/Brockport), who had a banner week away from the diamond after being named Sage's 2012-2013 Female Athlete of the Year as well as the 2013 Skyline Conference Softball Player of the Year, ranks nationally in five different categories. She ranks 43 in runs scored per game (1.16), while ranking 77th in batting average (0.451). She is also ranked in slugging percentage (0.707) as well as home runs (6), and triples (3).
She not only leads Sage in batting average, but the entire conference in batting with her blistering .451 average. She also has a team-leading 60 hits, 10 doubles, three triples, and six home runs. She had a .707 slugging percentage that matched her impressive .468 on-base percentage. Beikirch had 15 multiple-hit games this season, while starting all 38 games for the Gators.
Beikirch is already making her own run for several of Sage's career marks in just two seasons on the softball diamond. She already has 122 career hits in 84 games played and started, while carrying a .442 career batting average and 12 home runs, while ranking 5th in career hits, third in career home runs and fourth in runs scored.
Also ranked is junior short stop Hillary Faas (East Greenbush, NY/Columbia), a 2013 Skyline Conference All-Star First Team pick. Faas is a 38-game starter and ranks 44th nationally with her three sacrifice flies. She has a .342 batting average with a .550 slugging percentage on 10 doubles and five home runs and a team-best 25 RBIs this season. A two-time Skyline Conference Player of the Week this season, she is making a run at a number of Sage career marks in her three seasons of play as she already ranks No. 9 in career games played (111), No. 4 in at-bats (359), No. 4 in hits (129), and No. 3 in doubles (31). She is also tied for No. 2 in career home runs with 13 and No. 3 three in runs scored (84).
Senior pitcher and utility performer, Kelsey Newberg (New Britain, CT/New Britain) was named to the 2013 Skyline Conference Second Team at two positions as she was chosen as both a starting pitcher and a utility player. Newberg was also named Sage's Gator of the Year in softball as the team Most Valuable Player, marking her second selection after winning the award in 2011. Twice this spring she was named the Skyline Conference Pitcher of the Week as well as the ECAC Metro NY-NJ Pitcher of the Week once on another occasion. She has shattered several of Sage's career pitching marks, while also making quite a statement as a performer at the plate in her three seasons in a Sage uniform. She holds the career record for most strikeouts 261 and most wins 28, while ranking among the top performers as well in innings with 338.0 (No. 2), complete games (36, No. 5), and ERA with a 3.29, which is sixth. She also holds Sage single-season marks for most games (30), most wins (16), and most strikeouts (119). She ranks in the Top 10 in several categories as well having played in 106 games with 321 at-bats, 95 hits and 12 doubles.
Newberg ranks nationally with her 74 strikeouts and a two shutout wins, while rookie pitcher Katie Kovage (Hoosick Falls, NY/Hoosick Falls Central) is ranked nationally with her three shutout wins. Kovage earned three Skyline Conference Rookie of the Year selections this year. She has a team-best 8-3 record with a 2.32 ERA in her 21 appearances, while also batting .364, which is third highest on the team. She is making a run at a number of Sage single-season pitching marks as her 21 appearances in 13th, and her eight victories in also eighth. She has fanned 57 batters this season and ranks No. 7 for a season, while her 2.32 ERA is also ranked No. 7.
