ATLANTA – The Millsaps softball team has been a tough out in each and every game this season. Its head coach and five of its top student-athletes were recognized by the Southern Athletic Association (SAA) for their accomplishments on Friday.
Head coach
Caroline DeLoach earned SAA Softball Coach of the Year honors. Additionally,
Jordan Lipari,
Lindsey Osbon and
Molli Perry were tabbed All-SAA Second Team, while
Hannah Derouen and
Leslie Norris were named All-SAA Honorable Mention.
Coaches from across the conference nominated and voted on the players and peers found most deserving of the honors following the regular season.
DeLoach is currently in her third season at the helm of the Majors. During the spring, she has guided Millsaps to a 12-12 overall record and 9-6 mark in the SAA, earning the No. 3 seed in this week's SAA Tournament. The Majors won three conference series including sweeps of Hendrix and Rhodes.
Lipari, a senior second baseman from Patterson, Louisiana, has a 0.286 batting average to go along with 16 hits and 11 runs scored. All three totals are fourth most on the team as well as her slugging (0.375) and on-base (0.364) percentage. No stranger to extra-base hits, Lipari finished second with five doubles during the regular season.
Osbon, a senior third baseman hailing from Covington, Louisiana, sits near the top of the SAA in several statistical categories. Her 29 RBIs are third most, her two triples are tied for fourth, the nine doubles she tallied are sixth highest, and Osbon's 32 hits currently stand as the 10th most. Additionally, Osbon is fifth in slugging percentage (0.585) and eighth in assists at 39.
A freshman left fielder from Kaplan, Louisiana, Perry set the Millsaps softball steals record with 26. Her 16 SAA conference regular season steals is second-most all-time. She is also one of eight SAA players with a perfect fielding percentage, and her two triples ties her with Osbon.
Derouen, a sophomore pitcher from Lake Charles, Louisiana, has totaled four wins, which is the eighth most so far in the SAA. She owns a 4.68 ERA and 31 strikeouts, both of which are 10th best in the conference.
The final Major to earn league recognition was Norris. A senior right fielder from Hoover, Alabama, she sits at a .286 average with 14 hits and 11 runs scored. Norris has drawn six walks for a .364 on-base percentage.
Millsaps begins the 2021 SAA Softball Tournament against No. 2-seed Berry on Friday with a 12:30 p.m. CT first pitch. The Majors will also play at 3 p.m. or 5:30 p.m. depending on the outcome. All games will have live stats and video links at gomajors.com.
To keep up to date with everything surrounding the Millsaps softball program follow the Majors on Twitter and Instagram, like Millsaps Majors Athletics on Facebook or visit gomajors.com.
