Softball Garners Six NFCA All-Region Accolades
5/17/2012 12:00:00 AM | Softball
May 17, 2012
STARKVILLE, Miss. - The Alabama softball team tied a school record with six All-South Region first team accolades, the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) announced Thursday morning. The six first team honors ties the 2009 team and was the most of any team in the country.
The all-region teams were chosen by NFCA member coaches from each region, and all the honorees will now be eligible for selection to one of three 2012 NFCA Division I All-American teams. In addition, conference pitchers and players of the year not selected to the regional teams were added for All-America consideration.
Just five of the 129 teams that received an award this season had each of their six nominees selected to an all-region team. No. 2 Arizona State, No. 3 Alabama, No. 7 Louisiana-Lafayette, No 12 Oregon and No. 15 UCLA all placed six student-athletes on one of their respective region's two teams.
Alabama was the only team this year to place all six of its nominees on its respective region's first team. Louisiana-Lafayette and No. 5 Tennessee followed closely behind the Tide with five first-team choices each.
Senior Cassie Reilly-Boccia (1B), sophomore Kaila Hunt (SS), junior Kaila Braud (OF), senior Jennifer Fenton (OF), sophomore Jackie Traina (UTL/P) and senior Amanda Locke (UTL/DP) nabbed the honors for the Crimson Tide.
Reilly-Boccia earned all-region honors for the third time in her career as she enters the weekend with a .333 average, nine home runs and 43 RBI. The Yorktown Heights, N.Y., native has played in all 57 games and sports a .511 on base percentage on the strength of 42 walks.
Hunt garners the honor for the first time in her career. The sophomore is having a breakout season, leading the team with 18 home runs and 64 RBI while batting .323. Hunt is slugging .735, adding six double and two triples.
Braud was tabbed to the first team for the third consecutive season, hitting .356 with 53 runs scored and 36 stolen bases. The Eugene, Ore., native has added 10 doubles and walked 33 times. Braud leads the team with 18 multi-hit games, pacing the squad with 58 hits.
Fenton earns the honor for the second straight season, this year being named to the first team for the first time. The Kennesaw, Ga., native leads the team with a .361 average, 56 runs and 39 stolen bases. Fenton has also added four home runs, three triples, 11 doubles and driven in 34.
Traina once again was named to the first team, providing the power in the circle and at the plate. The Naples, Fla., native sports a 33-2 record with 281 strikeouts in 218 1/3 innings pitched. The Southeastern Conference Pitcher of the Year showcases a 1.73 ERA and has held opposing batters to a .187 average. At the plate, Traina is hitting .313 with nine home runs and 29 RBI.
Locke earns firs team honors for the second consecutive season, batting a career high .346 with 17 home runs and 51 RBI. The Mesquite, Texas native is slugging .787, adding seven doubles and a triple. Locke propelled the Tide to the SEC Tournament title, by allowing an unearned run in a run-rule victory over Florida in the championship game.
The 2012 NFCA Division I All-America teams will be announced at 4 p.m. CDT, on Wednesday, May 30, on NFCA.org.
Alabama will open NCAA postseason play as the No. 2 national seed and will host the Tuscaloosa Regional. UA will open play against UT-Martin on Friday, May 18, with first pitch slated for 6 p.m., at Rhoads Stadium.
