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Murray State's Jessica Twaddle was named the 2015 Ohio Valley Conference Player of the Year while SIUE's Haley Chambers was tabbed the 2015 OVC Pitcher of the Year as voted on by the league's head softball coaches and sports information directors. SIUE's Baylee Douglass earned OVC Freshman of the Year accolades while the Cougars' Sandy Montgomery was named the OVC Coach of the Year.
A native of Franklin, Tenn., Twaddle leads the league in batting average (.439), hits (69) and RBI (51). The All-OVC first team selection has recorded 42 runs scored, a .497 on-base percentage and a .675 slugging percentage to rank third in the conference this year. The sophomore infielder posted 20 multi-hit games this season while driving in two or more runs in a game 16 times. Earlier this season, Twaddle had a 20-game hitting streak which is the longest in the OVC this year. She becomes the first Racer to win Player of the Year accolades.
Chambers, a product of Coatesville, Ill., ranks ninth in the nation with a league-leading 280 strikeouts this year. The first-team All-OVC selection is also first in the league in wins (22), ERA (1.47), innings pitched (200.2), appearances (35), shutouts (7) and opponent batting average (.190). The junior pitcher has struck out 10 or more batters 14 times this season. She tossed her second career perfect game against Morehead State, striking out 20 batters. She was named the Louisville Slugger/NFCA Division I National Pitcher of the Week for her efforts. Chambers earns Pitcher of the Year honors after being named the Freshman of the Year in 2013. She becomes the first Cougar to win the award.
Douglass, a freshman pitcher from Centralia, Mo., is third in the league in ERA (2.21), wins (16) and strikeouts (149). The All-OVC second team and All-Newcomer selection leads the OVC with four saves while ranking second in appearances (33) and opponent batting average (.201.) In conference action, she recorded a 1.95 ERA with 11 wins and 81 strikeouts. She was selected as one of 25 national finalist for the NFCA Freshman of the Year Award. Douglass becomes the second SIUE player to earn the award, joining Chambers who won the honor in 2013.
Montgomery earns her first OVC Coach of the Year honor after guiding her team to its first OVC regular-season title. The Cougars posted a 20-6 league mark while going 39-14 overall. The 20 conference wins set a new team record. The Cougars are 14th in the nation with a league-leading 2.03 team ERA. As a staff, SIUE pitchers have struck out 448 batters this season while walking just 98. She becomes the first Cougar to earn the honor.
Joining Twaddle and Chambers on the All-OVC first team are Eastern Illinois senior infielder Bailey O'Dell (Clovis, Calif.) and junior outfielder April Markowski (Franklin Park, Ill.); Jacksonville State senior catcher Savannah Sloan (Reynolds, Ga.) and senior infielder Sara Borders (Alexandria, Ala.); Eastern Kentucky senior infielder Katie Tackett (Murrieta, Calif.); Murray State sophomore infielder Maggie Glass (Hopkinsville, Ky.); Southeast Missouri senior outfielder Kayla Fortner (Cedar Hill, Mo.); SIUE senior outfielder Rebecca Gray (Crete, Ill.); Tennessee Tech sophomore pitcher Danielle Liberatore (Peotone, Ill.); and UT Martin senior utility player Kenzi Tate (Opdyke, Ill.)
Earning second team honors with Douglass are Murray State senior pitcher CheyAnne Gaskey (Morgantown, Ky.), senior infielder Alexa Becker (Breese, Ill.) and senior outfielder Mo Ramsey (Pinckneyville, Ill.); Jacksonville State's junior outfielder Ella Denes (Pisgah, Ala.) and freshman utility/designated player Whitney Gillespie (Pelham, Ala.); Austin Peay senior infielder Laurel Burroughs (Lebannon, Tenn.); Belmont senior outfielder Kat Hollingsworth (Carrollton, Texas); Eastern Illinois junior catcher Hannah Cole (Manhattan, Ill.); Morehead State senior infielder Katie Raile (Naples, Fla.); Southeast Missouri senior infielder Lindsey Patterson (Anna, Ill.); and Tennessee Tech senior outfielder Angi Sakamoto (Waipahu, Hawaii.)
Along with Douglass, making up the All-Newcomer team are Eastern Kentucky freshman catcher Sarah Jackson (Cypress, Calif.) and freshman outfielder Paige Murphy (Louisville, Ky.); Jacksonville State freshman utility/designated player Whitney Gillespie (Pelham, Ala.); and freshman outfielder Emily Woodruff (Albertville, Ala.); Tennessee Tech junior utility player Sabrie Neeb (Front Royal, Va.) and freshman catcher/first baseman Bayli Cruse (Cohutta, Ga.); Eastern Illinois freshman pitcher Jessica Wireman (Louisville, Ky.); Morehead State freshman pitcher Mackenzie Grossmann (Perry, Mo.); Southeast Missouri freshman pitcher Madeline Krumery (Wildwood, Mo.); Tennessee State redshirt sophomore utility player Joselynn Yates (Olathe, Kan.); and UT Martin freshman outfielder Alicia Hansen (Miamisburg, Ohio.)
All-OVC First Team
P – Haley Chambers, SIUE
P – Danielle Liberatore, Tennessee Tech
C – Savannah Sloan, Jacksonville State
INF – Sara Borders, Jacksonville State
INF – Jessica Twaddle, Murray State
INF – Maggie Glass, Murray State
INF – Bailey O’Dell, Eastern Illinois
INF – Katie Tackett, Eastern Kentucky
OF – Kayla Fortner, Southeast Missouri
OF – Rebecca Gray, SIUE
OF – April Markowski, Eastern Illinois
UTIL/DP – Kenzi Tate, UT Martin
All-OVC Second Team
P – Baylee Douglass, SIUE
P – CheyAnne Gaskey, Murray State
C – Hannah Cole, Eastern Illinois
INF – Alexa Becker, Murray State
INF – Lindsey Patterson, Southeast Missouri
INF – Laurel Burroughs, Austin Peay
INF – Katie Raile, Morehead State
OF – Ella Denes, Jacksonville State
OF – Kat Hollingsworth, Belmont
OF – Mo Ramsey, Murray State
OF – Angi Sakamoto, Tennessee Tech
UTIL/DP – Whitney Gillespie, Jacksonville State
OVC All-Newcomer Team
Baylee Douglass, SIUE
Whitney Gillespie, Jacksonville State
Emily Woodruff, Jacksonville State
Sarah Jackson, Eastern Kentucky
Paige Murphy, Eastern Kentucky
Sabrie Neeb, Tennessee Tech
Jessica Wireman, Eastern Illinois
Bayli Cruse, Tennessee Tech
Mackenzie Grossmann, Morehead State
Joselynn Yates, Tennessee State
Madeline Krumrey, Southeast Missouri
Alicia Hansen, UT Martin
OVC Player of the Year: Jessica Twaddle, Murray State
OVC Pitcher of the Year: Haley Chambers, SIUE
OVC Freshman of the Year: Baylee Douglass, SIUE
OVC Coach of the Year: Sandy Montgomery, SIUE