Ball State University Athletics
Softball Places Four On All-MAC Squads
May 05, 2015 | Softball
AKRON, Ohio - - Four members of the Ball State softball team were honored Tuesday (May 5) when the Mid-American Conference announced its annual postseason awards as voted on by the league's 12 head coaches.
Representing the Cardinals on the All-MAC First Team were senior outfielder Hanne Stuedemann (Mattawan, Mich./Mattawan) and junior second baseman Emily Dabkowski (Plainfield, Ind./South Putnam), while junior pitcher Nicole Steinbach (Merrillville, Ind./Andrean) and senior catcher Jessica Craft (LaPorte, Ind./LaPorte) were named to the All-MAC Second Team.
Over the last seven seasons (2009-15), Ball State has placed more players on the All-MAC First Team than any other league school. The Cardinals have 22 honorees during the span, with Northern Illinois in second at 14. Ball State is also the only MAC program to place multiple honorees on the first team in each of the last seven seasons.
As the four-time defending MAC West Division Champions, the Ball State softball team opens play in the 2015 MAC Softball Championship as the No. 2 seed and will play No. 7 seed Akron Wednesday in the 3:30 p.m. game at Firestone Stadium in Akron, Ohio.
For the most up-to-date news on Ball State softball, follow the team on Twitter: @BallStateSB and @TyraPerry13 / Instagram: ballstatesb / Facebook: BallStateSoftball.
Hanne Stuedemann – All-MAC First Team
Stuedemann earns All-MAC First Team accolades for the first time in her career after leading the Ball State offense and ranking third in the MAC with a .436 batting average in league-only games. An All-MAC Second Team and MAC All-Freshman selection in 2012, Stuedemann led all conference players with a .535 on base percentage in MAC play after logging 24 hits, 11 walks and being hit by a pitch three times.
Stuedemann produced a team-high 18 RBI in MAC play, including four game-winning runs driven in. She reached base safely in 18 of Ball State's 19 league games, including a 10-game MAC hitting streak. She also produced eight two-hit games, while finishing six league games with multiple RBI. Stuedemann's .709 slugging percentage in MAC-only games was also tops on the Ball State squad, while her 13 runs scored ranked fourth. Stuedemann started all 19 MAC games in right field for the Cardinals and recorded a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage with 23 putouts and one outfield assist.
Emily Dabkowski – All-MAC First Team
Dabkowski earns All-MAC First Team honors for the first time in her career after ranking second on the squad with a .388 batting average in league play. Dabkowski led the Cardinals and ranked second in the league with 20 runs scored in conference action, including crossing the plate as the winning run in games versus Western Michigan and Ohio.
The Cardinals' starting second baseman in all 19 league games, Dabkowski started MAC play with an 11-game conference hitting streak and finished the year with at least one hit in 16 conference games. She blasted five home runs in league play, while adding a pair of doubles. Her 15 RBI ranked seventh among all league players in conference action, while her 26 hits were ninth and her .642 slugging percentage was 11th.
Nicole Steinbach – All-MAC Second Team
Steinbach earns All-MAC Second Team accolades for the third consecutive season after posting a 7-4 record and 2.10 ERA in league play. Over 12 appearances, including 10 starts, Steinbach threw 73.1 innings and held opponents to a .258 batting average. She also had a pair of complete game shutouts in league play, and boasts a 3.3 strikeouts (62) to walks (19) ratio in MAC-only contests.
Steinbach's first complete game shutout was a four-hit, five strikeout effort at Toledo. One day later, she collected her second consecutive complete game shutout by limiting Bowling Green to four hits, while striking out a career-high tying 10 batters. She also struck out 10 batters in a nine-inning win over Buffalo, while adding seven strikeouts in two other appearances. Steinbach concluded the regular season by holding MAC East Division runner-up Miami to six hits, no earned runs and a .222 batting average over 8.0 innings, including a start and a relief win.
Jessica Craft – All-MAC Second Team
Craft earns All-MAC Second Team honors for the first time in her career after ranking third on the squad with a .373 batting average in league-only contest. In addition, her three triples tied for first among all league players, while her seven doubles tied for fourth in league action.
Craft, who split time as the starting catcher and designated player in league play, drove in three game-winning runs versus MAC foes; in the first games of doubleheaders versus Buffalo and Western Michigan, and in the nightcap at Ohio. She also ranked seventh among all league players with 15 MAC RBI. She reached base safely in 14 of Ball State's 19 league games, including a six-game hitting streak late in the season.
2015 MAC Softball Awards
2015 Player of the Year
Katelyn Rentschler, Central Michigan, Senior
2015 Pitcher of the Year
Emma Johnson, Kent State, Senior
2015 Freshman of the Year
Sara Hansen, Central Michigan
2015 Coach of the Year
Karen Linder, Kent State
2015 Nan Harvey Award Winner
Chelsea DeLamielleure, Central Michigan, Junior
2015 All-MAC First Team
Emily Dabkowski, Ball State, Junior, 2B
Hanne Stuedemann, Ball State, Senior, OF
Alexis Curtiss, Buffalo, Senior, UT
Trista Cox, Central Michigan, Senior, 3B
Chelsea DeLamielleure, Central Michigan, Junior, 2B
Katelyn Rentschler, Central Michigan, Junior, 1B/C
Maddy Grimm, Kent State, Sophomore, 3B
Emma Johnson, Kent State, Senior, P
Dani Ramos, Kent State, Senior, OF
Amber Logemann, Miami, Junior, P
Tiyona Marshall, Miami, Senior, OF
Kayti Grable, Northern Illinois, Sophomore, 1B
Emily Naegele, Northern Illinois, Junior, C
Jessica Sturm, Northern Illinois, Senior, UT/P
Ivy Schaaf, Western Michigan, Sophomore, OF
2015 All-MAC Second Team
Taryn Allmon, Akron, Senior OF
Erin Seiler, Akron, Junior, P
Jessica Craft, Ball State, Senior, C/SS
Nicole Steinbach, Ball State, Junior, P
Sara Hansen, Central Michigan, Freshman, OF
Rachael Knapp, Central Michigan, Sophomore, P
Abi Clark, Eastern Michigan, Junior, 1B
Michelle Kriegshauser, Eastern Michigan, Sophomore, OF
Taylor Wagner, Eastern Michigan, Sophomore, C
Holly Speers, Kent State, Freshman, SS
Remy Edwards, Miami, Senior, UT/P
Kelsea Cichocki, Western Michigan, Sophomore, 3B
Melissa Palmer, Western Michigan, Junior, 2B
Jenny Rohn, Western Michigan, Senior, OF
Taylor Sanicki, Western Michigan, Senior, C
2015 All-Freshman Team
Taylor Kirian, Akron, OF
Morgan Evangelista, Bowling Green, C/UT
Leandra Jew, Buffalo, OF/2B
Sara Hansen, Central Michigan, OF
Hannah Warren, Central Michigan, P
Holly Speers, Kent State, SS
Bekah Harnish, Northern Illinois, C/INF
Keegan Hayes, Northern Illinois, P
Samantha Showalter, Toledo, IF
Anissa Sanchez, Western Michigan, P
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