Siliga Named Player of the Year, Eight Tabbed to All-SoCon Softball Teams
5/8/2008 12:36:00 AM | Softball
MT. PLEASANT, S.C. --- Robyne Siliga was named the Player of the Year and a school-record eight Georgia Southern players were named to the All-Southern Conference teams it was announced at the league's award banquet Wednesday night.
Siliga, a junior from Oceanside, Calif., becomes the second GSU player to earn player of the year honors, joining Shanita Black in 2006.
The Eagles placed four on the first team: Siliga, senior pitcher Melissa Laliberte (Cobourg, Ontario, Canada), sophomore second baseman Nina Iduate (Norcross, Ga.) and sophomore outfielder Lindsey Hopkins (McDonough, Ga.).
Four more were tabbed to the second team: freshman pitcher Megen Smith (Springfield, Ga.), sophomore catcher Jenny Side (Loganville, Ga.), junior shortstop Amanda Hall (Haddock, Ga.) and junior outfielder Michelle Beasley (Metter, Ga.).
Only Laliberte is a multiple winner; all others were placed on the All-SoCon teams for the first time. Siliga was the 2005 Freshman of the Year.
The eight honorees surpasses the previous record of five set in 2006.
Siliga finished the regular season with a .389 average, 10 home runs and 51 runs batted in. She tied for the league lead and the school record with her RBI total and was second in the SoCon in batting average. Earlier in the season she became the school's all-time home run leader.
She was named conference player of the week two times, the player of the month once, and set three school records. Her .617 slugging percentage this year is second-best at Georgia Southern and the highest since 1986.
Laliberte earns all-SoCon distinction for the third time in as many seasons. She paced the conference in wins (17, tie) and earned run average (1.68) and was second in batting average against (.210). Laliberte ranks second in school history in ERA (2.00) and third in shutouts (17) and strikeouts (482).
Iduate is second on the team in batting average (.377) behind Siliga and has the second-most hits in a single-season at Georgia Southern with 68 which led the league. She finished the regular season with a career-high nine game hitting streak and hit .397 against league competition. Iduate ranks fourth in the nation in sacrifice hits (0.39 pg)
Hopkins hit .323 for the season and led the team with 17 stolen bases. Her 63 hits were second-most in the SoCon and she was 32nd in the nation in sacrifice hits (0.24 pg).
Smith won 12 games in her rookie season with a 2.38 ERA and three shutouts. She stepped up her play against league teams with a 4-1 record and a 1.51 ERA.
Side set new school records with 13 home runs and 51 RBI this season and became the only player in school history to record 10 homers and 10 doubles in the same season. Her homer and RBI totals also were tops in the conference.
Hall finished third on the team in average (.326), home runs (six), RBI (32) and slugging percentage (.519). She posted a team-high 13 doubles which tied for the conference lead.
Beasley recorded five home runs, 25 RBI and seven doubles, placing fourth on the team in all categories. She recorded seven assists from the outfield and hit .321 in SoCon games.
Siliga, a junior from Oceanside, Calif., becomes the second GSU player to earn player of the year honors, joining Shanita Black in 2006.
The Eagles placed four on the first team: Siliga, senior pitcher Melissa Laliberte (Cobourg, Ontario, Canada), sophomore second baseman Nina Iduate (Norcross, Ga.) and sophomore outfielder Lindsey Hopkins (McDonough, Ga.).
Four more were tabbed to the second team: freshman pitcher Megen Smith (Springfield, Ga.), sophomore catcher Jenny Side (Loganville, Ga.), junior shortstop Amanda Hall (Haddock, Ga.) and junior outfielder Michelle Beasley (Metter, Ga.).
Only Laliberte is a multiple winner; all others were placed on the All-SoCon teams for the first time. Siliga was the 2005 Freshman of the Year.
The eight honorees surpasses the previous record of five set in 2006.
Siliga finished the regular season with a .389 average, 10 home runs and 51 runs batted in. She tied for the league lead and the school record with her RBI total and was second in the SoCon in batting average. Earlier in the season she became the school's all-time home run leader.
She was named conference player of the week two times, the player of the month once, and set three school records. Her .617 slugging percentage this year is second-best at Georgia Southern and the highest since 1986.
Laliberte earns all-SoCon distinction for the third time in as many seasons. She paced the conference in wins (17, tie) and earned run average (1.68) and was second in batting average against (.210). Laliberte ranks second in school history in ERA (2.00) and third in shutouts (17) and strikeouts (482).
Iduate is second on the team in batting average (.377) behind Siliga and has the second-most hits in a single-season at Georgia Southern with 68 which led the league. She finished the regular season with a career-high nine game hitting streak and hit .397 against league competition. Iduate ranks fourth in the nation in sacrifice hits (0.39 pg)
Hopkins hit .323 for the season and led the team with 17 stolen bases. Her 63 hits were second-most in the SoCon and she was 32nd in the nation in sacrifice hits (0.24 pg).
Smith won 12 games in her rookie season with a 2.38 ERA and three shutouts. She stepped up her play against league teams with a 4-1 record and a 1.51 ERA.
Side set new school records with 13 home runs and 51 RBI this season and became the only player in school history to record 10 homers and 10 doubles in the same season. Her homer and RBI totals also were tops in the conference.
Hall finished third on the team in average (.326), home runs (six), RBI (32) and slugging percentage (.519). She posted a team-high 13 doubles which tied for the conference lead.
Beasley recorded five home runs, 25 RBI and seven doubles, placing fourth on the team in all categories. She recorded seven assists from the outfield and hit .321 in SoCon games.
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