ERIE, Pa. – Penn State Behrend softball freshman Mackenzie McIntire (Stoneboro, PA/Lakeview) and junior AJ Nichols (Pittsburgh, PA/Shaler) were named to the 2018 All-Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference (ECAC) Division III Softball Team, announced on Thursday.
McIntire was selected to the first team and Nichols is an honorable-mention selection. McIntire, who recently named All-East Region honors, adds ECAC accolades to her resume. She was the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference (AMCC) Newcomer of the Year while landing on the All-AMCC first team. She led the team and conference with 38 RBIs and 15 doubles this season. McIntire ranked second with a .399 batting average, while smacking 59 hits and scoring 25 runs. She had a .581 slugging and .973 fielding percentage. McIntire also led the team with 21 multiple hit games.
Nichols was also an All-Region choice, in addition to AMCC Pitcher of the Year and First-Team All-AMCC. Nichols finished the season ranked third in the nation in earned-run average with 0.82. She allowed only 16 earned runs on 95 hits, while striking out 129 batters. Nichols posted a 19-4 record in 27 appearances this season. Outside the circle, she ranked fourth on the team with 42 hits and seven doubles. She also drove in 18 runs, while scoring 20 and smacking one home run.
The Lions ended the season with a 32-13 overall record and finished runners up in the ECAC Division III Tournament.