ERIE, Pa. - Six members of the Penn State Behrend softball squad were selected to the All-Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference Team, announced on Wednesday.
Sophomore pitcher Rachel Miller (North East, PA/North East) and sophomore outfielder Allania Banta (Waterford, PA/Fort LeBoeuf) were chosen to the first team. Sophomores Amanda Krolczyk (Union City, PA/Fort LeBoeuf) and Shannon McDonnell (Fayston, VT/Harwood Union) were selected to the second team, while freshman Sarah Blagg (Cranberry Township, PA/Seneca Valley) and senior Leah Griffin (Sprinboro, PA/Conneaut Valley) were named to the third team.
Miller is making her second all-conference appearance and first time on the first team. She has the second-best ERA in the conference at 1.63. Miller's 14 wins this season is good enough for third and 104 strikeouts ranks her fourth in the AMCC. She has thrown 13 complete games and pitched 128.2 innings, starting in 19. Miller also has 24 hits with 18 runs scored while in the lineup.
Banta, the starting center fielder, is earning her first All-AMCC accolade on the first team. Banta is hitting .325 on the season with a .918 fielding percentage. She is third on the team in hits (38), RBIs (25), while leading with 11 doubles. Banta has scored the most runs with 35 and has smacked a pair of home runs.
Krolczyk repeats on the All-Conference list, this time as a second-team choice. In the third spot, she has ripped 36 hits including eight doubles, three home runs and a triple. Krolczyk knocked in 22 runs and has scored 26. She is batting .356 with a .545 slugging percentage, while going 5-for-5 in stolen bases. Krolczyk hit .316 along with a home run in a 6-2 win against La Roche in the AMCC Tournament and finished 3-for-5 in the championship game while scoring the game-winning run in the bottom of the 13th inning.
McDonnell, the designated hitter, was the power hitter this season for the Lions. She ranked second in the conference in home runs (9) and hits (52). Her .388 batting average ranked her first on the team and 10th in the AMCC. McDonnell had 11 games with multiple RBIs to finish with a team-leading 41. She had a pair of home runs in the first game against Franciscan to record a career-high seven RBIs.
Blagg, a catcher and shortstop, was recognized in her first season with Behrend. The newcomer was solid for the Lions, recording 42 hits for second on the team. She also tallied eight doubles and a team-best three triples. Blagg scored 32 runs and knocked in nine, while batting .313 on the season.
Griffin finishes her career with a second nod on the third team. The senior earned her first honors as a freshman. The second baseman batted .301 while recorded 28 hits, including four doubles and a home run.
