Four Players Named All-NECC in Softball

ATTLEBORO, Mass. – Elms College placed four softball players on the 2013 New England Collegiate Conference (NECC) all-conference teams as announced by the league office on Monday.

Senior third baseman Rachel Butt (Agawam, Mass.) earned First Team All-NECC honors after hitting a team-best .386 during Elms' league slate this season. Butt had 22 hits including a double and a team-high 14 RBI helping the Blazers secure the fourth seed in the NECC Championship tournament.

Senior outfielder Leah Spring (South Hadley, Mass.), junior first baseman Ally Witaszek (Feeding Hills, Mass.) and freshman pitcher Jamie Miner (Chicopee, Mass.) were each named Second Team All-NECC.

Spring hit .344 in 19 league contests this season with three triples, a pair of doubles and nine RBI. Spring had a .403 on-base percentage as the Blazers' leadoff hitter and a team-best slugging percentage of .453. She was also 9 for 10 in stolen bases against NECC pitching.

Witaszek hit at a .385 clip against NECC foes and connected for 20 hits, a team-best 17 runs scored, legged out a double and a triple and drove in six runs.

Miner was stellar in the circle during the NECC slate, tallying a 4-3 record in nine appearances (seven starts) and pitched 39.2 innings. Miner registered a solid 2.29 ERA and struck out 22 batters in her first season of collegiate softball.

2013 NECC Softball All-Conference Team
Player of the Year
Talan Barron, Becker (Sr, C - Methuen, Mass.)

Pitcher of the Year
Kelsey Norberg, Becker (Fr, P - Uxbridge, Mass.) 

Rookie of the Year
Jessica Wheelahan, Becker (Fr, OF - Watertown, Conn.)

Coach of the Year
Brook Capello, Newbury

Team Sportsmanship Award
Southern Vermont College

First Team All-NECC
Megan Cordon, Becker (So, DP - Watertown, Conn.)
Talan Barron, Becker (Sr, C - Methuen, Mass.)
Rachel Butt, Elms (Sr, 3B - Agawam, Mass.)
Haley Fountain, Regis (Mass.) (Fr, P - Warren, Mass.)
Katie Haney, Newbury (Jr, SS - Winchendon, Mass.)
Sheri Liggiero, Newbury (Fr, CF - Tewksbury, Mass.)
Michaela McGowan, Newbury (Fr, 1B - Nashua, N.H.)
Nicole Mercurio, Lesley (Jr, 2B - Wakefield, Mass.)
Maria Nazzaro, Lesley (Jr, OF - North Reading, Mass.)
Kelsey Norberg, Becker (Fr, P - Uxbridge, Mass.)
Jessica Wheelahan, Becker (Fr, OF - Watertown, Conn.)

Second Team All-Conference
Mollie Bartles, Daniel Webster (Fr, 2B/C - Torrington, Conn.)
Chelsey Crawford, Daniel Webster (Fr, OF - Westfield, Mass.)
Theresa Disantis, Daniel Webster (Sr, DP - Hinsdale, Mass.)
Allison Fountain, Lesley (Jr., C - Cheshire, Conn.)
Kirbie Garvey, Regis (Mass.) (Fr, OF - Littleton, Mass.)
Jamie Miner, Elms (Fr, P - Chicopee, Mass.)
Jaclyn Orangio, Becker (Fr, OF - Maynard, Mass.)
Lindsey Romagnino, Mitchell (So, SS - Totowa, N.J.)
Molly Sarson, Lesley (Sr, 3B - Sanford, Maine)
Leah Spring, Elms (Sr, OF - South Hadley, Mass.)
Tricia Tomaselli, Mitchell (Jr, P - Guilford, Conn.)
Ally Witaszek, Elms (Jr, 1B - Feeding Hills, Mass.)

Honorable Mention
Megan Bolduc, Becker (So, SS - Dover, N.H.)
Alyssa Donovan, Newbury (Fr, C - West Haven, Conn.)
Ariel Hallisey, Mitchell (Jr, 2B - Fall River, Mass.)
Emily Mangiaratti, Lesley (Sr, OF/DP - Amherst, Mass.)