All-Conference Softball Team Announced
SAN ANTONIO, Texas – The Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference (SCAC) announced the 2016 All-Conference Softball Team on Friday evening. The University of Dallas softball team placed nine members on the All-Conference Team. This marks the most members from the Lady Crusaders to be listed All-SCAC, since joining the league in 2012. Last year, Dallas had eight players named.
View 2016 All-SCAC Softball Team
Highlighting the bunch with a nod on the All-SCAC Second Team for Designated Player was junior Lyda Tesauro (Hollywood, Fl.). It is Tesauro's third straight season to be named All-Conference, and is her second time making the second team. In 2015, the number three hitter made All-SCAC First Team.
Tesauro has been a force in the heart of UD's batting lineup again, hitting a .341 average, with 43 hits, 12 doubles, two triples, a home run, and 22 RBI.
Eight Lady Crusaders round out the list with Honorable Mentions. Included in this group are: freshmen Katie Antigua (Elk Grove, Calif.), Stephanie Cervantes, Melanie Savala (Bryan, Texas), Roma Thornton (Wharton, Texas), juniors Avery Finch, Katie Lee (Houston, Texas), and Allison Kotlar, and senior Erin Begle (Houston, Texas).
Begle notched her fourth All-SCAC Team spot in as many years for the senior, and Lee kept her streak alive with three. Finch and Kotlar qualified for their second All-Conference Teams in consecutive seasons.
Begle ranks atop the Dallas offensive leaderboard with a .371 average. She boasts 13 doubles (career-high), two triples, five home runs (career-high), and 29 RBI. Begle produced a slash line of .483/.500/.883 in the month of March. She had two separate career-long, nine-game hitting streaks that month and recorded hits in 18-of-19 contests during that span.
Lee anchors the pitching staff with a 14-13 record, which was tied for first in victories entering the SCAC Tournament. Lee has logged the most innings in the conference with 162.2 innings and 32 appearances. She is the career-record holder in wins with 39 and innings pitched with 507 among others.
Finch is another Lady Crusader that has etched her name in the record books, particularly in stolen bases. At the time of tonight's release, Finch added to her single-season record, 34 steals. She also boasts 81 in her career to extend the program record. Finch is hitting .345 and leads the squad with 48 hits, four triples, and 32 runs scored.
Cervantes is hitting .301 with five doubles, three homers, and 18 RBI. Cervantes has two long balls and seven runs driven in from the past six games. Antigua displays 30 hits, 10 doubles, and 14 RBI. Kotlar is hitting a career-best .353 batting average. The outfielder has 41 hits, eight doubles, two triples, three home runs, and 22 RBI. Savala in her rookie regular season hit .341 with 35 hits, 10 doubles, 14 RBI, and 18 steals in 20 opportunities. Thornton is hitting .292 with 12 RBI and 13-for-14 in stolen bases. 16 of her 21 hits this campaign happened after Thornton was moved to the number 2 spot in the batting order.
Dallas secured third place in the SCAC for the second straight season and repeated 13 victories for its highest win total in conference. The Lady Crusaders defeated Schreiner University in the first game on Friday, 6-3. They play Trinity University later that evening.