Leonard, Conrad Named NFCA All-Region – Ohio State Buckeyes
5/14/2015 12:00:00 AM | Softball
May 14, 2015
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COLUMBUS, Ohio — Redshirt junior first baseman/catcher Erika Leonard and senior outfielder Caitlin Conrad have earned second team NFCA All-Midwest accolades, the National Fastpitch Coaches Association announced Thursday.
The all-region teams were chosen by NFCA member coaches from each region, and all the honorees will now be eligible for selection to one of three 2014 NFCA Division I All-American teams.
Leonard (.414, 60 RBI, 15 HR, .782 slugging percentage) had a historically good year in Big Ten play, driving in a conference-record 37 runs over 23 games (average of 1.61 per game). She also hit .420 with 11 home runs and a .913 slugging percentage. Among all players, she finished first in RBI and home runs, 12th in batting average, third in slugging percentage and 13th in hits.
Her ascent to becoming one of the best hitters in the conference began in late March. In the final 24 games, she batted .512 with 53 RBI, 15 home runs, 43 hits and a 1.083 slugging percentage. It began with a 5-for-8 performance with three home runs and eight RBI in a doubleheader sweep of Maryland. She hit the game-tying home run in the seventh inning of the second game and added another in the eighth inning, leading to a 9-5 victory.
In a 24-1 win over Indiana in the opening round of the Big Ten Tournament last Thursday, Leonard went 4-for-4 with a school-record 10 RBI, including two grand slams. In the Ohio State record book, she ranks:
- Second in single-season RBI (60)
- Fifth in single-season batting average (.414)
- Fourth in single-season home runs (15)
Not to be outdone, Conrad batted a blistering .437 in Big Ten play with a league-best .944 slugging percentage, 24 RBI, 24 runs scored, nine home runs and .549 on base percentage — all as the team’s leadoff hitter. In 52 games overall this year, she is second with a .399 average and has a team-high 54 RBI to go along with 52 runs, 14 home runs and a 1.218 OPS (on base + slugging). Amongst her Big Ten counterpart, Conrad ranked 14th in batting average, sixth in slugging, eighth in hits sixth in RBI and fifth in home runs.
Over the last two seasons, Conrad has been a mainstay both at the plate and in the outfield. She’s driven in 93 runs in 107 games, hit 23 home runs and is batting at a .361 clip. On defense, she had 10 assists this spring playing in both right and center field. In the career record books, Conrad ranks:
- Eighth in RBI (124)
- 15th in batting average (.323)
- Ninth in doubles (36)
- Seventh in runs scored (141)
- Fifth in home runs (30)
Ohio State was 30-22 overall this season and 12-11 in Big Ten play. The Buckeyes advanced to the quarterfinals of the Big Ten Tournament and won eight of its final 12 games.
