GLIAC – Nine members of the Saginaw Valley State University softball team earned Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) awards when they were presented following game four of the conference tournament on Friday afternoon.
Jackie Popko, Sarah Gersch, and Emily Depew were named to the All-GLIAC First-Team while Paige Kolinski, Alexis Gills, Sydney Herioux, and Katelyn Pnacek earned All-GLIAC Second-Team. Alyssa Muench and Olivia Sabin were on the Honorable Mention list.
Popko made the first team as an outfielder for the fourth-consecutive season. The Senior from Macomb, Michigan, tops the league in stolen bases with 30 and runs with 43. She is tied for third with 24 walks. Her .315 batting average is the fifth-best on the team. She has 40 hits, seven doubles, four home runs, and 25 RBI. Popko is the all-time leader in career runs scored for SVSU with a current tally of 164.
"Popko is the ultimate competitor," said SVSU head softball coach Ryan Schalk. "She has an outstanding work ethic and is the leader in our outfield as a fifth-year player. She is a menace on the bases and will take the extra bag in a blink of an eye."
Gersch made the first team as an at-large selection. This is the first time in her career she has made the first team after earning an honorable mention twice. She leads the team in hits and RBI. Her hit total of 60 as well as her 39 RBI ranks fourth in the GLIAC. Gersch is one run and three stolen bases behind Popko for second-most in the league. She currently holds the career stolen base mark with 104, a record she broke this season during the Spring Break trip to Florida.
"Gersch does things at the shortstop position I've never seen as a coach," stated Schalk. "She is as smooth as it gets and she also has a high game IQ. As a hitter, she just gets it done in clutch spots, hitting in the 3 spot most of the year."
Depew is on the All-GLIAC First Team for the third time in her career. She has been the Cardinals ace all season with team-high marks in every pitching category. She has a 14-6 record with 17 complete games, 109 strikeouts, and a fantastic 1.57 ERA. She ranks second in the conference in wins, complete games, strikeouts, and ERA. Depew is top-10 in multiple career categories including starts (8th, 66), victories (5th, 46), innings pitched (7th, 434.1), complete games (9th, 45), and strikeouts (6th, 437).
"Depew is a battler in the circle," lauded Schalk. "As easy-going as she seems off the field, when she is on the rubber, she wants to win. Additionally, she has been open to some new thoughts from the coaching staff, which shows that she is always looking to get better."
Kolinski has had a career year setting best marks in almost every offensive category including a large leap in runs, hits, home runs, and RBI. She leads Saginaw Valley with six home runs and boasts the fourth-most doubles on the team with seven.
"Kolinski is the ultimate teammate behind the plate," praised Schalk. "She calls a great game, understands how to set up hitters, and is a threat to do damage every time she steps in the box offensively."
Gills has also set career highs in multiple categories this season. The junior from Byron Center, Michigan, has the best batting average on the team at .395, a mark that is fifth in the GLIAC. Her 31 runs, 49 hits, nine doubles, two triples, and 26 RBI are all career bests.
"AJ has had a monster season for us," said Schalk. "She moved from third to first base and hasn't looked back since. She only knows one speed and that's all out. She's had some big-time hits in clutch situations for us this season."
Herioux has improved in every statistical category this season. She has scored 14 runs and registered 25 hits with four doubles and tallied 17 RBI. The Gladstone, Michigan native has spent the majority of the season playing second base for the Cardinals.
"Sydney stepped up big time this year for us as second base. She came into this season with limited game experience and has been nothing short of outstanding up the middle," Schalk said.
Pnacek earned her stripes as a clutch hitter in her debut season for SVSU. She claims the fourth-best batting average on the team and has totaled 35 hits while tying for the team-high in doubles with 10, and has hit two home runs and registered 25 RBI.
"Kate had an awesome year as a freshman. She has hit in the two spot most of the second half of the season and has a great eye at the plate, can drive the ball in the gap, and runs as well as anyone," Schalk stated.
Muench has a 9-4 record in the circle this season with six complete games. She has been a solid relief pitcher. Her 53 strikeouts and 3.26 ERA are both second-best on the team.
"Muench has been lights out at times this season in the circle. She had some big-time wins for us at the beginning of the year and has been solid in relief spots and as a starter," said Schalk.
Sabin has capitalized on her opportunities this season as she set career highs in all categories. She's seen 59 at-bats and contributed 10 runs, 16 hits, two doubles, and nine RBI.
"Olivia had a really solid year, both at the plate and as a defender. She has saved some extra-base hits with her glove and has the potential to hit the ball with power any time she is at bat," said Schalk.