SOFTBALL: Seven Lutes Named to All-Northwest Conference Teams

Seven Pacific Lutheran softball players were listed when the Northwest Conference named the all-conference teams on Monday. Two Lutes earned first team honors, three were listed on the second team, and two more earned honorable mention.

Vanessa Bryant - Team-high 53 total bases in 2008

First team honors went to sophomore catcher Vanessa Bryant and sophomore utility player Rachel Wheeler-Hoyt. Bryant batted .324 for the season and tied for the team lead with three home runs and 53 total bases. Wheeler-Hoyt hit .347 with a team-leading 14 doubles and 26 runs batted in, while tying for the most home runs with three. She also led the Lutes with an 11-5 pitching record and a 3.16 earned run average.

Second-team honors went to senior outfielder Heather Walling, freshman infielder Caitlin Brown and senior utility player Lisa Gilbert. Walling batted .373 with a team-leading 47 hits, three triples and 26 runs scored. Brown finished the season with a team-high .393 batting average, accumulating 35 total hits and 14 runs scored. Gilbert hit .315 with eight doubles and 15 runs scored in her final season.

Players that earned honorable mention for the Lutes were sophomore infielder Carly Starke, who hit .304 with two homers and 17 RBI, sophomore pitcher Hadley Schmitt, who was 8-13 with a 3.39 earned run average.

You can read the entire all-conference list at http://www.nwcsports.com/sports/softball/All-NWC.htm.

- PLU -