COLUMBUS, Miss. – The W softball team has had six members of its squad selected to the All-St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SLIAC) teams, it was announced by the league office today. Honored from the Owls' roster were
Addison Owen (Pontotoc, Miss.),
Brooklyn Rhodes (Vancleave, Miss.),
MC Brown (Loretto, Tenn.),
Brianna Byrd (Petal, Miss.),
Gillion Eaves (Louisville, Miss.), and
Trinity Garvin (Olive Branch, Miss.).
Additionally, senior
Kaitlyn Bearley (Columbia, Ill.) was recognized on the SLIAC's All-Sportsmanship Team.
Owen, who played on the left side of the infield, was a junior transfer from Northwest Mississippi Community College and quickly established herself in MUW's lineup. Owen started all 15 SLIAC games and led the team with a .442 batting average (23-52) in conference. She drove in 11 runs, with a team-high slugging percentage of .654 (6 doubles, 1 triple, 1 home run), along with a .464 on-base average. She ranked sixth in the SLIAC with 16 runs scored, as well.
Rhodes, a sophomore at MUW, earned her second consecutive All-SLIAC second team nod. In league games, Rhodes was 4-2 with a 2.94 earned run average in 33.1 innings pitched. She struck out 26 and walked just five batters. And while recognized in the circle, Rhodes also had a hot bat as the designated player when not pitching, batting .375, with three doubles and two triples, and nine RBI to her credit.
Rhodes' battery mate Brown, playing her first full season of softball in six years, also earned second-team all-conference accolades. A two-sport athlete at The W (she also played volleyball), she led the Owls, and was tied for second in the SLIAC, with four homers, slashing .282/.615/.451. She led MUW with 16 RBI and 11 walks in SLIAC bouts.
A trio of players from The W, all of whom were newcomers to the roster this season, were third-team All-SLIAC honorees. The freshman Garvin was picked as a utility player, getting it done from the circle and with the bat. Garvin posted a 4-2 SLIAC record and a 2.10 ERA. She had 17 strikeouts and 3 walks across 35.0 innings. At the plate, Garvin matched Owen for the team lead with a .442 batting average (19-43), driving in 8 runs and scoring 13.
Rounding out the all-conference selections were outfielders Byrd, a junior transfer from East Mississippi C.C., and the freshman Eaves, who prepped at Choctaw Central High School. In the SLIAC, Byrd slashed .345/.379/.441, while Eaves' slash line was .322/.356/.366 to go along with 13 runs scored. Eaves drove in 11 runs, with Byrd knocking in five ribbies.
