ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. – Four Penn State Altoona softball players were voted to the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference’s All-Conference team, which was announced on Tuesday afternoon.
Junior shortstop Haley Giedroc (Howard, PA/Bald Eagle) was voted to the first team of the All-AMCC squad, while freshman pitcher Emily Strouse (Beech Creek, PA/Central Mountain), sophomore third baseman Abby Showers (Philipsburg, PA/Philipsburg-Osceola), and junior outfielder Kelsey Bristol (Troy, PA/Troy) each took second team All-Conference honors.
Giedroc had an excellent season for Penn State Altoona in her third year with the team. Among all AMCC softball players, she ranked first in hit by pitch (9), second in doubles (14), third in runs scored (38), runs batted in (30), total bases (81), on-base percentage (.497), and slugging percentage (.638), fifth in hits (54), stolen bases (19), and batting average (.425), seventh in home runs (3), 16th in walks (9), and 18th in triples (2). As a fielder, Giedroc led the AMCC in assists (110) and was second in double plays turned (9). The junior posted career-highs in many categories, including runs, hits, doubles, RBI, walks, stolen bases, batting average, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, putouts (74), assists, fielding percentage (.929), and double plays.
Giedroc’s 19 stolen bases this spring set a new Penn State Altoona softball single season record. She was named the AMCC Player of the Week one time during the season. This is Giedroc’s first appearance on the first team of the All-AMCC squad and her second career All-Conference nod, as she was a second team selection last season.
Strouse had an impressive showing in the circle during her freshman season with the Lady Lions. In the AMCC, the right-hander ranked second in appearances (29) and innings pitched (145 1/3), third in wins (13) and saves (1), fourth in earned run average (1.93), fifth in complete games (10), seventh in batting average against (.249), and 10th in strikeouts (44).
During the season, Strouse was named the AMCC’s Pitcher of the Week twice. She also received Division III South Region Pitcher of the Week and Rookie of the Week honors from the Eastern College Athletic Conference.
Showers posted a strong sophomore season for Penn State Altoona. In the AMCC, the sophomore third baseman ranked fourth in runs scored (32), fifth in doubles (9), seventh in walks (12) and stolen bases (16), eighth in hits (48), 11th in hit by pitch (3), 12th in total bases (59), 14th in batting average (.372) and on-base percentage (.434), and 21st in slugging percentage (.457). With the glove, she was second in the AMCC in assists (88) and fifth in double plays (7). Showers set career-highs this season for runs, hits, doubles, walks, stolen bases, batting average, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, putouts (46), assists, and double plays.
This is Showers’ second career selection to an AMCC All-Conference team, as she was a first team pick last season.
Bristol had a solid junior campaign for the Lady Lions. In the AMCC, the outfielder ranked 16th in walks (9), 18th in stolen bases (7), 23rd in on-base percentage (.388), 30th in batting average (.318), 35th in hits (28), and 42nd in slugging percentage (.364). Bristol hit particularly well against AMCC pitching, leading her team with a .514 batting average and a .553 on-base percentage when facing conference opponents. In the outfield, she recorded 48 putouts and three assists.
This is Bristol’s second career appearance on an AMCC All-Conference squad, with her previous selection coming last season when she was a third team All-AMCC pick.
Penn State Altoona softball went 22-17-1 this season, including a 10-8 record in the AMCC. The team placed fifth in the conference’s regular season standings and earned its ninth consecutive berth in to the AMCC Tournament.
