After struggling to begin the season, the Saint Mary’s softball team put the pieces together midseason, especially once the conference games came around. The team ended their season at 15-24, 9-7 in the MIAA.
Standout performers for the season were junior center fielder Kelsey Keilman and senior infielder Krystal Harris. Playing 39 and 37 games respectively, the two led the team at the plate. Keilman batted .383 while Harris batted .343. Keilman also led the way in walks with 12, triples with five and stolen bases with eight, while also raking in 16 RBIs.
For pitching, the Belles relied on freshman Mandi Hettinger and senior Zoe Bruni. Hettinger and Bruni both had solid seasons. Hettinger ended with an ERA of 3.24, with Bruni closely behind at 3.34. Bruni, however, pitched almost 30 more innings than her teammate, altering the stats somewhat. Regardless, both carried the load for a team reliant on solid pitching.
But softball is a team game and other players stood out throughout the course of the season, putting in strong performances. In particular, junior second baseman Maggie Gillis and sophomore second baseman Madelynne Keller both batted over .300, while the aforementioned Hettinger came agonizingly close, finishing at .299. Hettinger also hit one of the team’s five homers on the season. On the topic of home runs, senior shortstop Megan Knudsen led with two. Sophomore catcher Joanna Keilman also hit a homer, while leading the team in RBIs at 19 and doubles with nine. Overall, the Belles will look to build on this year’s tumultuous season for their next campaign, with many major contributors returning.
