Softball Hands Out Postseason Awards

YPSILANTI, Mich. — The Eastern Michigan University softball team handed out four postseason awards at its annual banquet to celebrate the 2008 season. Players voted for three of the awards, with the coaching staff awarding the final award.

Senior Ashley Strauss (Trenton, Mich.-Trenton) was voted the team’s best offensive player after leading the Eagles with a .388 batting average, including a .518 clip during Mid-American Conference play. Strauss was named second team All-MAC for the third consecutive season. She led the conference in batting average in both all games and conference games. Strauss compiled a 10-game hitting streak this season, spanning from April 25-May 3. She also belted 17 doubles this season, tying the single season mark. Strauss was named MAC Player of the Week once this year, after hitting .636 (7-for-11) with two doubles and four runs scored, including the winning run in a come-from-behind victory against Ohio (April 20). She ends her career in the Green and White with 41 doubles, good for third on the all-time list. Her career batting average of .318 and fielding percentage of .986 ties her for second-best in a career.

Senior Jessica Grant (Grand Rapids, Mich.-Forest Hills Northern) was voted as the team’s best defensive player. This is a player who has a positive attitude, great work ethic in games and practice, displays great communication on the field, makes defensive stops and shows leadership on the field. Grant started all but one game at second base this year, compiling a .952 fielding percentage. She committed only seven errors on the season while providing stability on the right side of the infield.

The Eagle Award goes to someone who is a great team player, has a positive attitude, great work ethic in games and practice and is a role model on and off the field for the team. This year’s team voted Jenny Scherer (Stow, Ohio-Stow-Munroe) as the recipient of the Eagle Award. Scherer was second on the team with a .312 batting average while leading the team in slugging percentage (.630), runs scored (30), RBI (20), home runs (11) and total bases (87). Her 11 home runs give her 22 for her career, only two off the all-time mark of 24. Scherer became the first player in EMU history to hit for the cycle, hitting a home run, a triple a double and a single while knocking in five runs against San Diego (Feb. 27). She was selected to the All-MAC second team.

The final award given out was the EMU Scholar Athlete Award, voted on by the coaches. The winner of this award is someone who displays great leadership on and off the field, is a team player, has a positive attitude, never gives up and has a great work ethic in the classroom and on the softball diamond. Lauren Delapaz (Plymouth, Mich.-Canton) was selected as this year’s honoree. Delapaz played in 37 games this year, playing at second base, third base, left field, right field, designated player and at shortstop. She hit .240 for the season, with four doubles and nine RBI. During MAC play, she upped her average to .268, starting all but one game.

The 2008 team had a record of 15-30 (6-12 MAC), just missing out the program’s fourth consecutive MAC Tournament berth.

Eastern Michigan Athletics

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