Another successful season put six JCU softball players on the 2013 All-OAC team.  

Rachel Byrnes was named the John Wells Pitcher of the Year, and was joined on the First Team by Mackenzie Griffin, Samantha Becker and Ally Kleinhans.  Lia Locey earned a spot on the Second Team, and Morgan Robinson was named Honorable Mention.

After the graduation of two-time OAC Pitcher of the Year Brittany Danilov in 2012, there was some concern about the immediate future of the John Carroll softball pitching staff.

Such concern was alleviated, and then some, by the emergence of sophomore Rachel Byrnes, who took home the John Wells Award for the conference's top hurler in 2013.  Byrnes finished the season 19-4 with a 1.96 ER, striking out 150 batters and tossing one no-hitter.  Her 11-1 record in the OAC helped propel the team to a 14-4 league mark (26-11 overall) and a #2 seed in the conference tournament.

Griffin, a senior catcher, finished the year with the best single season batting average in program history (.568).  Her scorching mark led the OAC and was among the leaders in all of Division III.  The Clyde Lamb Award Winner also contributed 20 doubles, three home runs, and 43 RBI.  As the roster's lone senior, Griffin will graduate with several John Carroll season and career records.

Samantha Becker, who hit a career-best .389 this season, was named to First Team at second base.  Her versatility and ability to both get on base and drive in runs sparked the JCU offense on numerous occasions.  A short stop in 2012, Becker made a seamless transition to second, earning a .943 fielding percentage.

Her teammate on the right side of the infield, Ally Kleinhans, punished opponents to the tune of five home runs and 36 RBI, not to mention a .361 batting average.  Her contributions warranted a spot on the OAC's First Team for the second time in her career (2011).

Lia Locey represented the Blue Streaks on the Second Team, as she batted .295 with 31 hits and 15 runs scored while holding down the hot corner.

Morgan Robinson rounded out the Blue & Gold's award winners with an Honorable Mention All-OAC.  The junior left fielder batted .319 with six doubles, one triple, two home runs, and 13 RBI in 37 games.  Defensively, she commited just one error all season.

Click here for the complete 2013 All-OAC softball release.