Five Thunder Earn NFCA All-Region Honors

Five Thunder Earn NFCA All-Region Honors

LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- Five members of the Trine softball team were named to the National Fastpitch Coaches Association All-Region team, the organization announced this evening.

Kaylee Fox (Vermilion, Ohio / Edison) earned First Team honors. Danielle Ray (Hamilton, Ohio / Badin), Makenna Hartline (Niles, Mich. / Brandywine) and Carly Bachna (Elyria, Ohio / Elyria) were named to the Second Team. Catherine Porter (Canton, Mich. / Plymouth Canton) rounded out Trine's selections as she was named to the Third Team.

The five players have led the Thunder to an overall record of 35-8 and the team's second consecutive NCAA Regional title. This weekend, Trine will host Wisconsin-Oshkosh in the NCAA Super Regional round.

Fox earned the second All-Region nod of her career. The junior first baseman was named to the team as an at-large selection. Fox has belted 16 home runs, tied for the second-most in a season in team history and the second-highest total in the nation. She trails the national leader by a single home run entering this weekend's Super Regional. Fox became Trine's all-time leader in career homers earlier this season and now has 45 in her career.

Fox has been one of the most productive run-producers in school history, with 142 career RBIs to her credit. She has knocked in 47 runs this year, the seventh-most in the team record books. Fox has batted .357 with a career-best .462 on-base percentage and a .752 slugging percentage. She also received All-MIAA First Team honors for the third time in her career.

Ray was one of three Thunder freshman to earn All-Region honors. Ray stormed onto the national scene in earning NFCA Division III National Pitcher of the Week honors after complete-game victories over top-10 foes Luther and Messiah. The All-MIAA First Team selection boasts in 18-3 record to go along with a 1.87 ERA and 146 strikeouts in 145.2 innings.

Ray tied the school record with her fifth save of the season in the Whitewater Regional. She was named to the Most Outstanding Player of the tournament. Ray notched a scoreless streak of 39.1 innings earlier this season.

Hartline followed up All-MIAA Second Team honors with an All-Region nod in her collegiate rookie season. Hartline was named to the Second Team as a second baseman. She ranks 14th in the nation with 11 home runs and has collected 38 RBIs. Hartline is batting .308 with a .434 on-base percentage and .638 slugging percentage. She has had two six-RBI efforts this year, tied for fourth-most in a game in the Trine record books.

Bachna rounded out freshman earning All-Region honors as the designated player selection on the All-Region team. Bachna has socked 12 home runs to rank ninth in the nation, including two in the Regional-opening victory over Greenville. She has knocked in 40 runs while batting a team-best .388 to go along with a .705 slugging percentage. Bachna has accumulated a highlight-reel of defensive plays this year and boasts a .947 fielding percentage at shortstop.

Porter earned the first All-Region selection of her career to round out Trine's selections. The team's lone senior, Porter has caught every inning this year while leading an all-underclassman pitching staff to a 2.68 team ERA. Porter's disciplined approach at the plate has resulted in a team-best .474 on-base percentage to go along with a .320 batting average. She has tied her career-high with five home runs and has driven in 30. Porter was a CoSIDA Academic All-District selection and has a chance to earn Academic All-America honors.

The Thunder will be seeking its second trip to the NCAA Division III Softball National Championships when the team hosts Wisconsin-Oshkosh in Super Regional action this weekend. Trine needs two wins in three potential matchups to claim the second Super Regional title in program history and advance to the national finals. This year's National Championships are being held in Oklahoma City.

First pitch between Trine and the Titans is scheduled for Friday at 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.