Nelson, Fisher headline All-Mountain West softball selections
5/15/2019 9:17:00 AM | Softball
A record six Rams earn honors
FORT COLLINS, Colo. – Accolades come pouring in after conference championships, and Colorado State's softball team started collecting Wednesday as the All-Mountain West softball team was announced.
Headlining the team were senior catcher Amber Nelson, who was named the player of the year, and coach of the year Jen Fisher. Joining Nelson on the first team were first baseman Ashley Ruiz and outfielder Tara Shadowen. Lauren Buchanan, Bridgette Hutton and Ashley Michelena were all named to the second team, giving the Rams a program-record six selections.
Nelson, the first Ram since Lauren Cusick in 2008 to earn the honor and just the third overall, led the Mountain West by hitting at a .421 clip, also pacing the league in total bases with 113. She was fourth in the conference in both home runs (11) and RBI (46). Her season has placed her in the top 10 all-time in program history in slugging percentage (.659, second), RBI (131, fourth), batting average (.375, sixth), doubles (41, tied for seventh) and home runs (31, tied for seventh).
Fisher wins the award for the second time after guiding the Rams to their second 30-win season in her nine-year tenure, and it's first conference title since 2004. The 38 wins are the third most in a single season.
Ruiz, a junior, was third on the team with her .368 average, hitting 10 home runs and driving in 37. Shadowen, a sophomore, was second in the conference with her 14 home runs, hitting .372 on the year with 39 RBI and slugging a team-best .823. It was the first all-conference selection for each.
Seniors Buchanan and Hutton repeat as second-team picks. Buchanan hit .312, scoring 29 runs with 18 extra base hits, including 13 doubles. Hutton posted a 2.64 ERA with a 15-6 record, throwing four shutouts and recording a save in 156 1/3 innings of work. Michelena, a sophomore, tied for the conference lead with her five triples and was a perfect 10-for-10 in stolen bases while hitting .347 and scoring 41 runs while rapping out extra base hits.
Colorado State heads to Tucson, Ariz., to face Auburn in the NCAA Regional hosted by No. 6 Arizona this weekend. The Rams face the Tigers at 7 p.m., on ESPN in the double-elimination format; Harvard is the fourth team in the field.
Headlining the team were senior catcher Amber Nelson, who was named the player of the year, and coach of the year Jen Fisher. Joining Nelson on the first team were first baseman Ashley Ruiz and outfielder Tara Shadowen. Lauren Buchanan, Bridgette Hutton and Ashley Michelena were all named to the second team, giving the Rams a program-record six selections.
Nelson, the first Ram since Lauren Cusick in 2008 to earn the honor and just the third overall, led the Mountain West by hitting at a .421 clip, also pacing the league in total bases with 113. She was fourth in the conference in both home runs (11) and RBI (46). Her season has placed her in the top 10 all-time in program history in slugging percentage (.659, second), RBI (131, fourth), batting average (.375, sixth), doubles (41, tied for seventh) and home runs (31, tied for seventh).
Fisher wins the award for the second time after guiding the Rams to their second 30-win season in her nine-year tenure, and it's first conference title since 2004. The 38 wins are the third most in a single season.
Ruiz, a junior, was third on the team with her .368 average, hitting 10 home runs and driving in 37. Shadowen, a sophomore, was second in the conference with her 14 home runs, hitting .372 on the year with 39 RBI and slugging a team-best .823. It was the first all-conference selection for each.Seniors Buchanan and Hutton repeat as second-team picks. Buchanan hit .312, scoring 29 runs with 18 extra base hits, including 13 doubles. Hutton posted a 2.64 ERA with a 15-6 record, throwing four shutouts and recording a save in 156 1/3 innings of work. Michelena, a sophomore, tied for the conference lead with her five triples and was a perfect 10-for-10 in stolen bases while hitting .347 and scoring 41 runs while rapping out extra base hits.
Colorado State heads to Tucson, Ariz., to face Auburn in the NCAA Regional hosted by No. 6 Arizona this weekend. The Rams face the Tigers at 7 p.m., on ESPN in the double-elimination format; Harvard is the fourth team in the field.