Central Islip, N.Y. - Senior shortstop
Stephanie Tarango (Fontana, Calif.) of Dowling and junior utility
player Liz Weber (Brightwaters, N.Y.) have been named the 2013 East
Coast Conference Softball Co-Players of the Year as voted on by the
league’s coaches. Senior pitcher Megan Butterworth (North
Bellmore, N.Y.) of Molloy was named the Pitcher of the Year, while
freshman outfielder Samantha McDonald (New City, N.Y.) from St.
Thomas Aquinas captured the Rookie of the Year honor.
Tarango wraps up a decorated four year career with her first Player
of the Year honor. The four-time All-Conference First Team pick led
the conference in homeruns (17), runs batted in (51), slugging
percentage (.864), walks (35), and on-base percentage (.522).
Tarango also finished in the top-five in the conference with a .371
batting average, 39 runs and 102 total bases. Her homerun tally
pushed her career total to 58, good for the most in ECC history and
into the top-five all-time in Division II history. Tarango was also
a slick fielder at the shortstop position, making only six errors
for a .962 fielding percentage.
Joining Tarango as a Player of the Year honoree is LIU Post’s
Weber. Weber put together a standout year both at the plate and in
the circle for the Pioneers. Offensively, Weber smacked 62 hits
(3rd in the ECC) in 148 at-bats to tie for a conference high .419
batting average. She also posted tremendous power numbers, hitting
12 doubles and 10 homeruns from the leadoff spot. Her pitching
numbers were as good, if not better, than her stats at the plate.
In 29 appearances (28 starts), Weber once again tied for a top mark
in the ECC, this time with 22 wins. In 171.1 innings pitched,
opposing hitters managed just a .237 batting average against and
struck out 180 times. Weber also ranked third in the ECC with a
1.92 earned run average.
Butterworth, another four-time First Team All-Conference selection,
was dominant in the circle for Molloy once again this season.
A six-time recipient of the ECC’s Pitcher of the Week award,
Butterworth finished tied with Weber for the most wins in the
conference with 22. Butterworth also led the ECC with a 1.20 ERA
and 10 shutouts, while holding opposing hitters to a .196 batting
average over 169.1 innings pitched. In addition, her ERA,
shutout, strikeout (213), and strikeouts per seven innings (8.8)
totals all rank in the top-15 in Division II, with her shutout
total the highest ranked at No. 5.
McDonald was a bright spot for the Lady Spartans in 2013, tying
Weber for the highest batting average in the conference (.419).
Among the rookie outfielder’s 52 hits were a conference high
13 doubles as well as one triple and one homerun. McDonald also
top-ten in the ECC with a .565 slugging percentage and a .459
on-base percentage.
Jamie Apicella of LIU Post has been selected Coach of the Year by
his peers. This season, Apicella guided the Lions to a 44-11
overall record and a 25-3 mark in conference play to claim the top
seed in the ECC Tournament. The Pioneers are currently the
top-ranked team in the East Region and No. 14 in the National
Fastpich Coaches Association’s Division II Top 25 poll
heading into post-season play.
Butterworth, McDonald, Tarango, and Weber are joined by Alyson
Dzierzynski (So., C, LIU Post), Kelly Bentson (Jr., 1B, Mercy),
Erica Fischetti (Jr., 2B, Dowling), Tracey Balinskas (Fr., 3B,
Molloy), Arianna LaPuma (Fr., 3B, Dowling), Jeana Frey (Jr., OF,
Molloy), Alexis Gonzalez (Jr., OF, LIU Post) Sydney Phillips (So.,
DP, Bridgeport), and Kelley Jansen (Sr., P, Molloy), on the ECC
All-Conference First Team.
Second Team honorees include Milan Botte (Fr., C, Molloy), Carla
Pennolino (Sr., 1B, Queens) Monique Roberge (So., 2B, Queens),
Kelsey McLaughlin (Fr., 3B, LIU Post), Nicole Hagenah (Jr., SS, LIU
Post), Nicolette Sinagra (Jr., SS, Molloy), Samantha Gallgher (Sr.,
OF, NYIT), Shelby Johnson (Jr., OF, Mercy), Tammy Vermeulan (So.,
OF, Dowling), Paige Swantek (Fr., DP, LIU Post), Dayna White
(Jr., DP, Molloy), Monet Ormsby (Jr., UTL, NYIT), Megan Salcido
(So., P, LIU Post), and Brittany Serrao (Jr., P, Mercy).
LIU Post and Molloy, the top two teams in the ECC standings, tied
for the most selections with seven apiece. Dowling was next with
four selections.
2013 ECC Softball All-Conference
First Team
C - Alyson Dzierzynski, So., LIU Post
1B - Kelly Bentson, Jr., Mercy
2B - Erica Fischetti, Jr., Dowling
3B - Tracey Balinskas, Fr., Molloy
3B - Arianna LaPuma, Fr., Dowling
SS - Stephanie Tarango, Sr., Dowling
OF - Jeana Frey, Sr., Molloy
OF - Alexis Gonzalez, Jr., LIU Post
OF - Samantha McDonald, St. Thomas Aquinas
DP - Sydney Phillips, So., Bridgeport
UTL - Liz Weber, Jr., LIU Post
P - Megan Butterworth, Sr., Molloy
P - Kelley Jansen, Sr., Molloy
Second Team
C - Milan Botte, Fr., Molloy
1B - Carla Pennolino, Sr., Queens
2B - Monique Roberge, So., Queens
3B - Kelsey McLaughlin, Fr., LIU Post
SS - Nicole Hagenah, Jr., LIU Post
SS - Nicolette Sinagra, Jr., Molloy
OF - Samantha Gallgher, Sr., NYIT
OF - Shelby Johnson, Jr., Mercy
OF - Tammy Vermeulan, So., Dowling
DP - Paige Swantek, Fr., LIU Post
DP - Dayna White, Jr., Molloy
UTL - Monet Ormsby, Jr., NYIT
P - Megan Salcido, So., LIU Post
P - Brittany Serrao, Jr., Mercy
Co-Players of the Year: Stephanie Tarango, Sr.,
SS, Dowling and Liz Weber, Jr., UTL, LIU Post
Pitcher of the Year: Megan Butterworth, Sr.,
Molloy
Rookie of the Year: Samantha McDonald, Fr., OF,
St. Thomas Aquinas
Coach of the Year: Jamie Apicella, LIU Post
