After four years as Saint Mary’s go-to starting pitcher, senior Callie Selner’s career came to an end as she split her last two starts against Alma.
Selner, the squad’s lone senior, was second on the team in batting average at .333, tied for second in RBIs with 14 and second in home runs with four. Selner also finished third in the MIAA with 97 strikeouts, and she led the team with a 3.19 ERA.
Selner ranks third in program history for career doubles with 31 and for career RBIs with 101. She has been one of the best pitchers in Saint Mary’s history, setting school records for most wins in a single season with 17, most career wins with 46 and most career strikeouts with 373.
“Those records mean that all my hard work and dedication over the years have really paid off,” Selner said. “I think my main goal was to go out with a bang my senior year, and that helped drive my work ethic this winter. I give credit to all my coaches for pushing me and helping me get to where I am today.”
Selner is not the only current Belles player in the record books. Sophomore catcher and first baseman Jillian Busfield established herself this season as one of the best hitters in Belles’ history. Busfield already had broken the program’s single-season record for home runs and credits Selner for pushing her to become a better player.
“She is very similar to me in personality, so when I'm down, it’s very easy for her to pick me up or vise versa,” Busfield said. “It’s a quality I have always looked up to in her. … She is a great hitter. I feed off of her strong energy and use her image on the field as a reminder that I too can do as she does.”
For the first time since 2009, the Belles failed to finish among the top four in the MIAA, but Selner said she remains optimistic about the future.
“The future of Saint Mary’s softball is in good hands, and I think Coach Zache will start to leave a legacy in years to come” Selner said.
