FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 1, 2009

Lions have four players named All-MIAA

Kansas City, Mo. - The Missouri Southern Softball team had four players named honorable mention All-MIAA after a vote from coaches in the league was released today in the opening ceremonies of the 2009 MIAA Softball Tournament in Overland Park.

Junior utility player Whitney Clute, sophomore first baseman Megan Roark and freshman outfielders Brooke Hurley and Breanna Volkmann all picked up All-MIAA honors after helping to lead Southern to a 14 game improvement from a season ago.

Clute led the team in home runs (9), RBIs (32), total bases (81), slugging (.500) and was  2nd in on base percentage (.346), 3rd in hits (45), 4th in doubles (7) and runs (22). Clute also led the team in wins (13), ERA (2.91), games started (21), complete games (9), and IP (139.2). She also ranks in the top ten in homers and RBIs in the conference and her 9 homers is tied for the most ever in a single-season at MSSU. She played 26 games as a pitcher, 20 at third base and 18 as a designated player.

Roark finished third on the Lions in average (.272), while tying for the team-lead in hits (50) and leading the team in doubles (13). She was 2nd in RBIs (31) and total bases (68), 3rd in slugging (.380) and fifth in runs (21). She ranks in the conference's top ten in doubles.

Volkmann and Hurley were the team's top two hitters as true freshmen this season. Volkmann led the team in runs (34) and triples (3) and batting average (.284), while tying for the team lead in hits (50). She was third in total bases (59) and was 12-14 on the basepaths this year to lead the team in stolen bases. She led the team with ten outfield assists and has seven appearances on the mound, starting five games.

Hurley was second on the team in average (.282), wihle ranking sixth in runs (18), sixth in hits (35), third in RBIs (20), third in total bases (59) and second in slugging (.447). She was  5-7 on the basepaths this season.