TRINE’S BELOTE AND GASCO SWEEP MIAA MVP HONORS

Posted: May 07, 2013

Nine players Named All-MIAA

ROYAL, OAK, Mich. - The Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) has announced that Trine University softball senior catcher Sarah Belote (Bronson, Mich./Bronson) has been named the Most Valuable Position Player and senior right-hander Andi Gasco (Levering, Mich./Petoskey) its Most Valuable Pitcher. It is the second straight season the Thunder have swept both MVP honors.

Trine becomes just the third team in MIAA history to have five players named to the All-MIAA First Team, the maximum allowed, the others came in 1999 with Alma and 1989 with Calvin. Joining Belote and Gasco as first team honorees are a trio of sophomores in Bree Fuller (Hubbardston, Mich./Fulton), Rachel Harris (Uniontown, Ohio/Hoover) and Carly Searles (Levering, Mich./Petoskey).

Trine also had four players named to the All-MIAA Second Team. They include senior Lauren Harris (Uniontown, Ohio/Hoover), junior Haleigh Daniels (Hamilton, Ohio/Hamilton), sophomore Amy Newell (Three Rivers, Mich./Three Rivers) and freshman Kaitlyn Clark (Mount Juliet, Tenn./Wilson Central).

Belote finished the conference season setting an MIAA record with nine home runs while also sitting first in total bases (57), second in batting average (.521), runs scored (25), and RBIs (34. Belote was also second with a 1.188 slugging percentage, tied for third with a .589 on base percentage, was fifth in hits (25) and tied for sixth in walks (7). On April 6 at Olivet, Belote set NCAA Division III records with 14 RBIs and 19 total bases along with tying a record with four home runs in the game. It is the second straight season Belote has been named to the All-MIAA First Team. She was named to the second team in 2011.

Gasco, who was the first player ever to be named the Most Valuable Position Player and Pitcher in MIAA history last season, becomes just the fourth player in MIAA history to repeat as MVP, with the last coming in Leigh Ann LaFave from Alma in 2004-2005. Gasco led the conference with a near perfect 0.15 earned run average after allowing just one earned run over 45 2/3 innings of work, nearly setting an MIAA record in the process. Gasco led the conference with batters hitting just .124 off her, allowing just 19 hit, with a 9-0 record and finished second in the conference with 59 strikeouts. Gasco threw three shutouts including a no-hitter April 26 against Saint Mary’s. Gasco also threw a non-conference no-hitter April 3 against Defiance (OH). Gasco is the lone player this season to have been selected as an All-MIAA First Team member all four years.

Gasco was not only was outstanding on the mound, but at the plate as well. Gasco finished third in the conference with a .500 batting average while also being third with 26 runs and 53 total bases. Gasco tied for the league lead with 11 walks and was second in the league in triples behind her sister Carly Searles, with three, and tied for fourth with six homers. Gasco finished MIAA play second with a .603 on base percentage, third with a 1.104 slugging percentage, was tied for fifth with 22 RBIs and was sixth with 24 hits.

Fuller, a right-handed pitcher, finished the MIAA season fifth with 51 strikeouts in just 36 innings. Fuller was 6-0 in conference play with a 1.75 ERA allowing just 22 hits, as opponents hit just .173 off her, the second best in the MIAA. On the year, Fuller went 14-1 with a 1.38 ERA while leading the team with 119 strikeouts and five complete game shutouts including a no-hitter March 5 against Beloit (IL).

Rachel Harris, a third baseman who transferred from Division II Fairmount State (WV), tied Belote with a new MIAA record of nine home runs. Harris finished second in the conference with 27 hits and 54 total bases, third with 25 RBIs and was sixth with a .477 batting average. Harris also led the MIAA with a 1.227 slugging percentage, was tied for the league lead with 11 walks, tied for third with a .589 on base percentage, fourth with six doubles and eighth in the league with 20 runs scored.

Searles set several single-season MIAA records this year including 31 hits and her seven triples shattered the previous league record of four. Searles also led the conference with a .633 batting average, nearly setting a new MIAA record as well. Searles led the conference with 32 runs scored, was second with 15 stolen bases and was fifth with 50 total bases. In addition, Searles led the MIAA with a .683 on base percentage, was third with nine walks, fourth with a 1.020 slugging percentage and tied for eighth with 17 RBIs. Searles was named to the All-MIAA Second Team as season ago.

On the All-MIAA second team for the second time in her career, the first was 2011, is first baseman Lauren Harris, sister of Rachel Harris. Lauren Harris was second in the conference with 27 hits, sixth with a .531 on base percentage, seventh with a .474 batting average and 41 total bases and tied for ninth with 19 runs scored. Harris was also tied for fourth with six doubles, tied for sixth with seven walks, tied for eighth with 17 RBIs and was 10th with a .719 slugging percentage.

Daniels, the shortstop for the Thunder, led the MIAA with nine doubles, just one shy of tying a conference record. Daniels was also tied for ninth with 19 runs, while hitting .392 with 13 RBIs and 20 hits in league play.

Newell, a transfer from Division I Toledo, sat out the first 18 games while recovering from an ACL injury. Newell returned just in time for conference play as she set a new single-season MIAA record with 37 RBIs. Newell also finished tied for third with 25 hits and was fourth with 24 runs scored, six home runs and 51 total bases. Newell, the reigning National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Division III Player of the Week, finished league play tied for fourth with six doubles and was sixth with a .864 slugging percentage while hitting .424 in 59 at bats.

Clark, one of just two freshmen named All-MIAA, made the switch to the outfield for the Thunder after having been an infielder during high school. Earlier in the season, Clark was also named the NFCA National Division III Player of the Week and finished the conference season tied for fifth with 22 RBIs and seventh with 21 runs while hitting .328 in 59 at bats. Clark also led the conference with three sacrifice flies.