2014 All-MASCAC Softball Team (PDF)

BRIDGEWATER, Mass. – Senior right-hander Amber White (Middleboro, Mass.) was selected as the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) Pitcher of the Year for the third straight season to highlight Bridgewater State’s six representatives on the 2014 All-MASCAC Softball Team.

BSU first-year head coach Chrissy Semler was also voted by her peers as the Champion’s Choice Coach of the Year. Semler guided the Bears to the MASCAC regular season title in 2014 (25th overall in program history) and the top seed in this week’s MASCAC Tournament.  Bridgewater posted a 26-12 regular season record including a 13-1 mark in conference play.

Joining White on the All-MASCAC First Team are senior catcher Jill Welch (Hubbardston, Mass.), junior shortstop Jocelyn Bettencourt (Plymouth, Mass.) and freshman designated player Jennifer Galavotti (Marion, Mass.).  Junior outfielder Jessica Laudati (Berkley, Mass.) and freshman first baseman Kelly McCarthy (Burlington, Mass.) garnered second team honors.

In 24 appearances including 20 starts this season, White is 19-3 with 18 complete games and a school record-tying 13 shutouts.  She has posted an impressive 0.43 earned run average with 123 strikeouts in 147 1/3 innings of work. Opponents are also batting just .143 against her.

White presently leads the MASCAC in wins, winning percentage (.864), shutouts, ERA, complete games, games started, innings pitched and appearances.  She is tied for first in the conference in saves (2) and ranks third in strikeouts.  White also ranks second in all of Division III in both ERA and shutouts, and is fifth nationally in fewest hits allowed per seven innings (3.42).

In 80 appearances including 66 starts over three seasons with the Bears, White is 50-16 (.758) with a 0.92 earned run average, 57 complete games and 27 shutouts as well as six saves.  She has fanned 392 batters in 471 2/3 innings of work and has strikeout to walk ratio of more than 6 to 1. White is BSU's all-time leader in shutouts as well as career ERA.  She is also tied for second in program history with three no-hitters and ranks third in strikeouts.

Welch enters the conference tournament with a team-leading batting average of .330 (30-91).  She has played and started in 34 games with three doubles, two home runs, 18 runs scored and eight RBI.  Welch is tied for third in the MASCAC with her two home runs.

In 88 career games over four season at Bridgewater State, Welch has a career batting average of .315 (68-216) with 11 doubles, four home runs, 11 stolen bases, 42 runs scored and 24 RBI.  She also had a .421 slugging percentage and a .372 on base percentage.

Bettencourt is one of just two players on the team who has played and started in all 38 games this season.  She is batting .298 (33-114) with six doubles, 22 walks, 36 runs scored and nine RBI.  Bettencourt leads the conference in both runs scored and walks (tied), and is eighth in on base percentage (.406).

Since arriving at Bridgewater State in the fall of 2011, Bettencourt has played and started in all 123 games over her first three seasons.  She has produced a .286 (95-332) career batting average  as well as a .370 on base percentage to go along with nine doubles, 26 stolen bases, 41 walks, 70 runs scored and 21 RBI.

The rookie Galavotti has made an immediate in the Bears’ lineup as she is currently batting .310 (31-100) with six home runs, three doubles, 15 runs scored and 28 RBI in 34 games.  Galavotti leads the MASCAC in home runs and ranks third in RBI and eighth in slugging (.520).

In 36 games this season, Laudati has posted a .325 (38-117) batting average, a .427 slugging percentage, 12 doubles, 15 runs scored and 24 RBI.  She ranks third among the conference leaders in doubles, fifth in RBI and is tied for sixth in hits.

In 107 games over her first three seasons, Laudati is batting .300 (80-267) with three home runs, 21 doubles, 30 runs scored and 47 RBI.

McCarthy has played in 27 games in her first collegiate season including 26 starts.  She is batting .236 (17-72) with four doubles, eight runs scored, nine RBI and a pair of stolen bases.  McCarthy has also made seven appearances in the circle as she has 16 strikeouts in 19 innings of work and has made two starts.

White is making her third consecutive appearance on the All-MASCAC First Team, while Welch is a first team honoree for the second straight season.  Bettencourt was a second team selection in 2013.

The Bears are hosting the four-team, double-elimination MASCAC Tournament on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.  Bridgewater will take on the winner of the play-in game between #4 Salem State and #5 Framingham State on Friday afternoon at four.