Two Ashland University softball players, outfielder Lyndsey Brandt (Painesville, Ohio/Riverside) and pitcher Emlyn Knerem (Brunswick, Ohio), have been named to the All-GLIAC first team. The conference teams are selected by the league coaches. The teams were announced on Friday (May 6) at the GLIAC Tournament, which is being played at Northwood and Saginaw Valley State.
This is the second consecutive year Knerem has been named to the conference first team. The junior entered play this weekend with a 22-6 record and a 1.45 ERA. Knerem has 246 strikeouts in 178.2 innings. She has 11 shutouts and in her career, has six no-hitters. Knerem has been AU's staff ace since she arrived on campus. The Eagles advanced to the NCAA playoffs each of the last two seasons.
Brandt is on the All-GLIAC first team for the first time. The speedy, sure-handed center fielder is in her third year as a starter. She has always been known for her defense, but this season she's had a career year offensively. The senior, who hits leadoff, is batting .374 and leads the Eagles in runs (36) and stolen bases (13). Brandt has not committed an error this season and has played in all 44 of AU's games.
Ashland has four players on the All-GLIAC second team. That quartet includes shortstop Bri Woody (Cleveland, Ohio/Magnificat), third baseman Alyssa Kelley (Mentor, Ohio), catcher Tawna Garver (Mansfield, Ohio/Hillsdale) and designated player Logan Hursey (Zanesville, Ohio/John Glenn).
This is the first time Woody has earned all-conference honors. She is hitting .326 and is second on the team in homers (4). She is tied for second on the team in RBI (29) and is 11-for-11 in stolen base attempts.
Kelley is in her third season as a starter and is regarded as one of the conference's best players at the hot corner. A junior, Kelley is second on the team in batting average (.388) and tied for second in RBI (29). Kelley was a first team All-GLIAC pick as a freshman and was an honorable mention selection last season.
This is the second consecutive year Garver has been named to the All-GLIAC second team. Garver is hitting .276 with three homers and 21 RBI.
Hursey was a first team All-GLIAC selection in 2009 and 2010. This year, she is hitting a team-high .392. She also leads the team in homers (9), RBI (36), slugging percentage (.736) and on-base percentage (.469).
Two underclassmen – second baseman Cayla Seidler (Massillon, Ohio/Massillon Washington) and first baseman Frankie Gironda (Akron, Ohio/Hoban) - were named to the GLIAC honorable mention list. Seidler, a freshman, is hitting .279 with three homers and 25 RBI. Gironda, a sophomore, is hitting .262 with a homer and 12 RBI.
Ashland is the second seed at the GLIAC Tournament. The Eagles went into Friday's tournament game against Wayne State with a 29-15 record. AU is ranked seventh in the NCAA Division II Midwest Region rankings.
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