LOUISVILLE, Ky.-- Three members of the Trine softball team were named to the National Fastpitch Coaches Association All-Central Region Team, the organization announced Monday.
Third baseman Kendra Marshall (Leesburg, Ind. / Warsaw) and pitcher Justine Robles (Long Beach, Calif. / Lakewood) each earned First Team honors, while catcher Rachell Noble (Indianapolis, Ind. / Decatur Central) was named the Second Team. The trio have led the Thunder to an overall record of 33-12, a share of a fifth-consecutive MIAA Championship and the second Regional title in school history. This weekend, Trine will host St. Thomas in the first NCAA Division III Softball Super Regional ever held at the University.
Marshall earned the second All-Region nod of her career in appearing on the First Team for the first time. The senior has set career-highs with six home runs and a .570 slugging percentage. Marshall led the MIAA in RBIs during conference play and is tied for the team lead with 39 RBIs on the season. She ranks seventh in team history with 115 career RBIs. Earlier this season, Marshall totaled a 13-game hitting streak. She has notched a stellar .954 fielding percentage while manning the hot corner.
Robles was named to the First Team at an at-large position to earn All-Region honors for the second year in a row. Robles' 1.49 ERA thus far this season is the fourth-lowest on record in a season in team history. She has totaled a 15-7 record with four saves, five shutouts and 134 strikeouts in 145.2 innings pitched this season. The senior recently became the fifth player in team history to total 50 wins. She ranks second in program history with 16 shutouts and fourth with 411 strikeouts.
Noble earned All-Region honors for the first time with her selection to the Second Team. The sophomore was ranked 19th in nation in on-base percentage according to the last NCAA statistics report. Her current .550 OBP would rank as the second-highest in a season in team history. Noble leads the team with a .414 batting average while walking nearly three times as often as she's struck out. She has homered three times and knocked in 23 runs this year.
Trine will look to earn its second-ever trip to the NCAA Division III Softball National Championships when the Thunder host St. Thomas this weekend. The winner of the three-game series advances to the national tournament in Salem, Va.
First pitch of Friday's matchup between the Thunder and Tommies is scheduled for 4 p.m. The series is scheduled to conclude Saturday, with game one slated for 1 p.m. More information on the NCAA® Division III Softball Angola, Indiana Super Regional can be found HERE.