Florida Tech Softball Players Earn All-Sunshine State Conference Honors
By Florida Tech // May 6, 2015
BREVARD COUNTY • MELBOURNE, FLORIDA – The good news keeps on coming for Florida Tech softball as four Panthers have been named All-Sunshine State Conference, announced on Wednesday by the conference office.
Center fielder Elaine Brown and designated player Nicole Miller represent FIT on the first team, while shortstop Brigit Godfrey garners second team status. Pitcher Rachel Pence rounds out the Panther honorees as the conference’s lone player recognized as honorable mention all-conference.
Brown and Pence return to the All-SSC team after each was named second team all-conference a season ago.
Elaine Brown was also selected as First Team All-SSC as a freshman in 2013. It is the first such honor for Miller and Godfrey.
Brown registered a league-high 72 hits on the season for a .416 batting average, which led the team and ranked third in the conference.
A constant threat on the base paths, Brown topped the team with 36 runs scored and swiped 24 bases, second most among all Panthers. Finally, the Covina, California native made life miserable for opposing batters as she patrolled center field, garnering a .970 fielding percentage with 62 putouts.
Though seeing some action as a catcher, Miller did most of her work at the plate as a designated player. The senior tallied a .343 batting average, second on the team, with 26 RBIs and 25 runs scored.
FIT’s biggest extra-base threat, the Canadian native plowed a team best 11 doubles and four home runs, including a grand slam.
Nicole Miller also ranked first among Panthers with a .517 slugging percentage and fell just a single point shy of Brown in on-base percentage at .447.
Leading off every single game for the Panthers, Godfrey created havoc for opposing teams.
The senior laced 57 hits for a .313 batting average with 34 runs scored and 24 RBIs. Packing some punch into her slap-style swing, she tied for the conference lead with six triples.
Once on base, the shortstop hailing from Atascadero, California was a menace as she led the team with 25 steals.
In the field, Brigit Godfrey registered 63 putouts and 111 assists. She also topped the conference with 12 double plays fielded.
In the circle,Rachel Pence was one of the SSC’s best. The sophomore boasts a 22-12 record with a 2.19 earned run average. She tossed 16 complete games and tallied eight shutouts, six of which were of the solo variety.
The Jacksonville, Florida native allowed just a .237 batting average against while sending 183 batters packing with a strikeout.
FIT won’t have much time to celebrate the awards, as the Panthers prepare for the program’s first ever NCAA Regionals appearance.
FIT travels to Florence, Alabama for the three day double elimination tournament.
The Panthers will open the affair with a 6:30 p.m. ET game on Friday against host No. 19 North Alabama.
Live video and stats will be available for all games of the NCAA Regional in Florence at RoarLions.com.
