Five Bears Named to All-MASCAC Softball Team

2011 All-MASCAC Softball Team (PDF)

BRIDGEWATER, Mass. – Five members of the Bridgewater State University softball team have been selected to the 2011 Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) All-Conference Team.

Senior first baseman Penny King (Hanover, Mass.), junior designated player Shanna Lathrop (Hopedale, Mass.) and sophomore third baseman Jennifer Shaw (Brockton, Mass.) were each named to the All-MASCAC First Team, while junior outfielder Stephanie Burns (North Attleboro, Mass.) and sophomore pitcher Meghan Dunn (Colchester, Conn.) are second team honorees.

King batted .323 (31-96) with three home runs, five doubles, 22 runs scored, 19 RBI and a .469 slugging percentage in 40 games this season.  She also walked 21 times, was hit by a pitch seven times and recorded a .476 on base percentage.  King ranks second in the MASCAC in walks, third in on base percentage and fifth in home runs.

Lathrop, who appeared in 22 games as a pinch hitter, 12 as a DP and one at second base, posted a .292 batting average (14-48) with three doubles, eight runs scored, nine RBI and a .414 slugging percentage.  She batted .333 with seven hits in 21 at bats as a pinch hitter.

Shaw slugged her way to a tremendous campaign in 2011 as she batted .394 (37-94) with eight home runs, eight doubles, 28 runs scored and 32 RBI.  She also posted a .734 slugging percentage as well as a .448 on base percentage.  Shaw currently leads the MASCAC in slugging percentage and ranks second in homers, batting average, runs batted in and total bases (69).  She is also fourth in the conference in hits, on base percentage and runs scored, and seventh in doubles.

Burns burst onto the scene in her first full season as an everyday player.  In 37 games, she batted .306 (22-72) with 16 runs scored, ten walks, nine stolen bases and a .405 on base percentage.  Burns presently ranks sixth in the MASCAC with her nine steals.

In 25 appearances in the circle which included 19 starts , Dunn posted a record of 11-8 with a 2.79 earned run average and 90 strikeouts over 145 2/3 innings of work.  She currently leads the MASCAC in innings pitched and games started, and is second in appearances.  Dunn also ranks third in wins and complete games (14), fifth in strikeouts and sixth in ERA.

The Bridgewater State softball team finished the 2011 season with a record of 18-23.  Seeded fourth in the MASCAC Tournament with an 8-6 conference mark, the Bears upset top-seeded Westfield State in the opening game of the double-elimination tournament.  Bridgewater was eliminated after dropping back-to-back decisions to eventual champion Worcester State and Westfield.