BRIDGEWATER, Mass. -- Bridgewater State University junior right-hander Kelly McCarthy (Burlington, Mass.) has been selected as the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) Pitcher of the Year to highlight the Bears' three representatives on the 2016 All-MASCAC Softball Team.
McCarthy, who was named to the All-MASCAC First Team, is joined on the squad by freshman outfielder Kacie Carvalho (Fairhaven, Mass.) and junior outfielder Samantha LoPilato (Medford, Mass.). Carvalho is also a first team selection, while LoPilato garnered second team honors.
In 26 appearances this season including 25 starts, McCarthy is 19-5 in the circle with 22 complete games and six shutouts. She has produced a 1.32 earned run average with 101 strikeouts in 154 1/3 innings of work, and opponents are batting just .218 against her.
McCarthy leads the MASCAC in games started, wins, complete games, shutouts, innings pitched, ERA and batting average against. She also ranks second in both appearances and strikeouts.
Among the national Division III leaders, McCarthy is tied for 11th in wins and tied for 17th in shutouts.
In 47 appearances (38 starts) over her first three seasons with the Bears, McCarthy is 28-12 with 31 complete games and ten shutouts. She has a career ERA of 1.68 with 163 strikeouts in 254 2/3 innings.
McCarthy has also excelled at the plate this season as she is batting .420 (50-119) with three home runs, seven doubles, a pair of triples, 22 runs scored and 29 runs batted in. She is sporting a .588 slugging percentage as well as a .432 on base percentage.
Offensively, McCarthy ranks second in the conference in RBI, third in total bases (70), and fourth in both hits and home runs. She is also sixth overall in batting and eighth in slugging.
In 110 games, McCarthy has a career batting average of .346 (111-321) with seven home runs, 17 doubles, six triples, 51 runs scored and 73 RBI.
Carvalho has put together an impressive rookie campaign as she is batting .460 (23-50) in 25 games with a pair of doubles, three triples, 12 runs scored and ten runs batted in. She has also produced a .620 slugging percentage as well as a .509 on base percentage.
LoPilato has played and started in all 36 games for the Bears in 2016. She is batting .308 (32-104) with a home run, four doubles, two triples, 24 runs scored and 22 RBI to go along with 11 sacrifice bunts.
LoPilato leads the MASCAC in sac bunts and ranks eight in triples and tenth in both runs and RBI.
In 102 games over her first three seasons with the Bears, LoPilato is batting .271 (79-292) with a home run, nine doubles, three triples, 15 sac bunts, 41 runs scored and 44 RBI.
The BSU softball team is currently 23-13 on the season. The Bears, who posted an 11-3 conference record, are seeded second in this week's MASCAC Tournament and will host a second round game on Friday afternoon at 4:00 PM against either #3 Westfield State University or #6 MCLA.
Notes: McCarthy is making her third straight appearance on the All-MASCAC Team. She was a second team selection as both a first baseman and pitcher in 2015, and was named to the second team as a first baseman during her freshman season of 2014.