Calvin Sports Report for May 11, 2005
All-MIAA Softball Teams Announced
Calvin's Cole Named Most Valuable Offensive and Defensive Player
GRAND RAPIDS * The All-MIAA softball teams have been released and five members of the Calvin softball team have received post-season accolades. Named to the All-MIAA first team from Calvin are junior shortstop Jeanne Cole and senior designated player Abby Konyndyk. Named to the All-MIAA second team are senior pitcher/first baseman Rachelle Heyboer, senior pitcher Kara VanKooten and sophomore pitcher Ruth Anna Spooner.
A native of Fountain and a graduate of Mason County Eastern High School, Cole has been named the MIAA's Most Valuable Offensive and Defensive Player. Alma senior Leigh Ann LaFave has been named the MIAA's Most Valuable Pitcher. This is the third year that the MIAA has presented three separate MVP awards in softball.
During the year, Cole captured the 2005 MIAA batting title * becoming the first Calvin player to do so since Laurie Hiemstra in 1989. Cole collected 27 hits in 54 trips to the plate for an even .500 average while establishing a new MIAA single-season record for hits in the process. Cole also matched the MIAA single-season record for doubles with eight in conference play while finishing with a league-leading 43 total bases. At the MIAA Tournament last weekend at Alma, Cole batted .429 (6 for 14) and stole three bases.Cole also led the MIAA in runs scored (18) and was second in slugging percentage (.796). Defensively, Cole also sparkled, compiling an impressive .982 fielding percentage in league play, committing only one error in 56 fielding chance while turning three double plays.
Cole is the fifth Calvin spring sports athlete to receive MIAA MVP honors this year as Calvin swept all four MIAA MVP awards in men's and women's track and field last weekend. In addition, Cole is making her third straight appearance on the All-MIAA first team.
Making her first appearance on the All-MIAA first team is Konyndyk who hails from Grand Rapids and is a graduate of Grand Rapids Christian High School. Konyndyk finished eighth in the MIAA batting race with a .423 average while placing fourth in slugging percentage (.731). A left-handed hitter, Konyndyk also tied for the league lead in home runs with four and finished second in runs batted in with 21. At the MIAA Tournament last weekend, Konyndyk belted a pair of home runs and finished with four RBI's.
A native of Anchorage, Alaska, and a graduate of Grace Christian High School, VanKooten is making her second straight appearance on the All-MIAA second team. In league play this spring, VanKooten was 7-1 in the pitcher's circle that included a pair of shutout victories. VanKooten also compiled a 1.97 earned run average, struck out 31 batters and walked just one. She had the fifth-best earned run average in the league and finished sixth in innings pitched.
A native of Fremont and a graduate of Fremont High School, Heyboer did double-duty this spring as she served as a starting pitcher and when not pitching * Calvin's starting first baseman. In the pitcher's circle, Heyboer was 4-1 with a 2.55 earned run average and picked up one shutout victory. At the plate, Heyboer batted .415, collecting 17 hits in 41 trips to the plate, driving in eight runs, scoring five and collecting five doubles. Heyboer finished 10th in the MIAA batting race and was seventh in the league in earned run average.
Spooner is the third member of Calvin's pitching staff to receive All-MIAA honors. Spooner is from Twin Falls, Idaho, and is a graduate of the Idaho School for the Deaf. Despite missing time because of an injury this spring, Spooner was superb on the mound, fashioning a 2-1 record with two saves and a 0.74 earned run average in league play. In MIAA games, Spooner struck out 31 batters and walked just 11 while holding the opposition to a .176 batting average. In the MIAA Tournament, Spooner sparkled in three appearances as she did not allow a run in 16 innings of work while compiling a 2-0 record with 13 strikeouts and only two walks.
Also receiving honorable mention recognition from the MIAA coaches is Calvin senior Angie Sietsema. Sietsema is from Grandville and is a graduate of Grandville High School. Sietsema split time between catcher and centerfield and did not commit an error in 140 total fielding chances to compile a perfect MIAA fielding percentage of 1.000. She also batted .333 at the plate, scored 10 runs and recorded four sacrifice hits.
As a team, Calvin finished tied for the MIAA lead in batting average with Hope as both teams batted .359 in league play. Calvin posted the third-best team earned run average with a team ERA of 1.95. In addition, Calvin had the third-best fielding percentage in the league with a .952 fielding percentage.
Calvin finished second in the final MIAA standings as it tied Hope for second place in the regular season standings at 13-3, one game behind first place Alma (14-2) and then took second at the MIAA Tournament, falling to Alma 2-1 in the MIAA Tournament Championship game.
Calvin finished the year with an overall record of 25-13, recording the most victories since its 1997 campaign when it won 28 games and advanced all the way to the NCAA III World Series.
-end-
Jeff Febus
Sports Information Director
Calvin College
(616) 526-6169 Office
(616) 526-8551 Fax
Received on Wed May 11 15:42:55 2005
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