Five Mustangs Earn All-AMC Honors

Erik Holth, CBC Sports Information Director

            St. Louis, Mo. – The American Midwest Conference announced their postseason softball awards today, and five Central Baptist Colleges Mustangs were amongst the selections. Three Mustangs were selected to the first team and two were selected to the second team.

            Averie Ayers, Savannah Sanford and Katie Smith all earned a first team selection while Lauren Anderson and Kirstie Blackwood both earned second team nods and Heather Hoffman was selected as the Champion of Character. It was the first selection to the all-conference team for each of these young ladies.

            Ayers was dominant in the circle this season, winning 10 games and posting an ERA of 3.14. She was one of only three pitchers in the AMC to win 10 or more games in the regular season. She also ranked eighth in the conference in strikeouts with 63 and her ERA was good for seventh in the league.

            Sanford led the league in batting in her first season after an injury last year. She hit .500 with 46 hits, which was fifth in the conference, 13 doubles, good for second in the league, 30 RBIs, which placed her in a tie for eighth in the AMC, while also leading the conference in on base percentage at .545 and ranking third in slugging at .793.

            Smith was the starting shortstop for most of the season in her first year with the team. She batted .342 with 23 runs scored, six doubles, two triples, nine RBIs and tied for the team lead in steals with 10.

            Anderson had a breakout season as the starter at first base. She hit .376 with 20 runs scored, seven doubles, a triple, three home runs and 20 RBIs while playing great defense at first.

            Blackwood was outstanding at third after missing last season. She finished the season hitting .351 with eight doubles, seven home runs, which was fourth most in the conference and a conference-high tying 40 RBIs with a .605 slugging percentage. She also was fourth in the AMC in assists in the field with 66 this season. Congratulations to these five young ladies!

            The Mustangs begin the AMC tournament later today against William Woods at the Antimi Softball Complex Black Field in Columbia, Mo.