FREELAND, Mich. -- Six members of the Trine softball team earned All-MIAA honors, the conference announced today.
First baseman Kaylee Fox (Vermilion, Ohio / Edison) and pitcher Danielle Ray (Hamilton, Ohio / Badin) were each named to the All-MIAA First Team. Michaela Hartline (Niles, Mich. / Brandywine), Makenna Hartline (Niles, Mich. / Brandywine), Catherine Porter (Canton, Mich. / Plymouth Canton) and Claire Ryan (Union Grove, Wis. / Union Grove) earned All-MIAA Second Team honors. The team's six all-conference selections tied for the most in the MIAA and included four freshman. The six players led the Thunder to an overall record of 30-6 and a fourth-place finish in the conference with an 11-5 mark in league action.
Fox led the MIAA in home runs for the third consecutive season with 14, tied for the fourth-most in a season in program history. As of the latest NCAA rankings released April 27, Fox ranked fourth in the nation in home runs. Eight of her homers came in league action. Fox became Trine's all-time leader in career home runs with 43 in the last game of the regular season. The junior also led the conference with 39 RBIs and a .752 slugging percentage. She batted .349 while getting on base at a .455 clip. Fox earned All-MIAA recognition for the third time.
Ray earned all-conference honors with a stellar freshman season. She won her first 13 collegiate decisions on her way to a 14-3 record to go along with a 1.89 ERA. Ray notched a scoreless streak of 39.1 innings, a span that included five shutouts. Ray struck out 132 batters while walking just 24 in 118.2 innings. She notched four saves. Ray is one of 25 candidates for the Schutt Sports/National Fastpitch Coaches Association Division III National Player of the Year. She was named the Louisville Slugger/NFCA National Pitcher of the Week for her performance in a week that included victories over nationally-ranked foes Messiah and Luther.
Michaela Hartline earned the first all-conference honor of her career. She ranked fifth in the MIAA with a .473 on-base percentage. She batted .343 with five home runs and 23 RBIs while holding down multiple outfield positions. The freshman hit three of her homers in conference play. Hartline slugged .589 and added three doubles to her extra-base hit total. She was named the MIAA Player of the Week for her performance in victories over Anderson and Ohio Northern.
Makenna Hartline ranked second in the MIAA with 10 home runs, tied for 12th-most in the nation as of the latest NCAA statistics ranking. Hartline's 34 RBIs ranked third in the conference. The freshman batted .330 with a .449 on-base clip while slugging .688. Hartline played a key role defensively for the Thunder in playing second base and outfield. She earned the first All-MIAA honor of her career.
Porter, the team's lone senior, earned the first all-conference selection of her career. Porter led the Thunder with a .474 on-base percentage and walked one and a half times as often as she struck out. She tied a career-high with five home runs and knocked in 28 runs. Porter batted .333 with a .563 slugging percentage. Her leadership behind the plate helped guide a pitching staff composed entirely of underclassmen to a 2.47 team ERA. She has caught every inning this year.
Ryan rounded out the team's all-conference selections with her first All-MIAA honor. The freshman caught fire in MIAA play, batting .373 and slugging .569 in conference action. Ryan batted .310 overall with two home runs, 22 RBIs and a .448 slugging percentage. She held down the No. 3 spot in the batting order through much of conference play while splitting time at second base and designated player.
Trine travels to Hope College for the MIAA Tournament Thursday-Friday, May 4-5. The Thunder open play with a matchup against top-seed Hope Thursday at 1 p.m.