Rinus, Fiessinger slotted on NFCA All-Region First Team
LOUISVILLE – Carson-Newman’s Lacie Rinus (Murfreesboro, Tenn.) and Abby Fiessinger (Benton, Ky.) both raked in postseason laurels Wednesday afternoon.
VIDEO: Abby Fiessinger Interview
VIDEO: Lacie Rinus Interview
LOUISVILLE – Carson-Newman's Lacie Rinus (Murfreesboro, Tenn.) and Abby Fiessinger (Benton, Ky.) both raked in postseason laurels Wednesday afternoon.
The National Fastpitch Coaches Association named the duo to its all-southeast region first team.
Rinus earned her spot as a utility/pitcher. Fiessigner as a utility/non-pitcher. This marks Rinus' second consecutive all-region first team accolade from the NFCA. Fiessinger was a second-team second baseman a year ago before elevating to the first team as a utility player.
Carson-Newman and top-ranked North Georgia were the only two teams in the region to place multiple players on the all-region first team.
Rinus adds the accolade to her SAC Player of the Year and SAC tournament MVP honors.
Rinus is just the second pitcher in league history since the SAC began presenting a distinct Pitcher of the Year award in 2004 to be named player of the year. She joins Carson-Newman warhorse Mary Shealy who brought home player of the year honors in 2011.
The sophomore is the first player in league history to win both a pitcher of the year and a player of the year honor in a career. She joins former Carson-Newman pitchers Carol Zachary, Heather Randolph and Marci Mitchell (all three SAC Hall of Famers), who all won the award before the awards split in 2004, as Eagle hurlers who have taken home the Player of the Year honor.
Rinus was formidable both at the plate and in the circle on the year. She finished the year second in the league in batting average at .435. She has 70 hits, 19 doubles, three triples and a pair of home runs. She has gotten on base 52 percent of the time and slugged .656. She leads the conference in hits and doubles, is fourth in triples and fourth in the league with 99 total bases.
Her 19 doubles are top five in the country and are one away from the single-season school record in Carson-Newman history.
Rinus has 19 multi-hit efforts and seven multi-RBI days. She collected her first career four-hit day against Lenoir-Rhyne in the Eagles' home finale.
In the circle, Rinus leads the league in starts (36), complete games (25), shutouts (11), innings pitched (232.2) and strikeouts (223). She has the fifth best batting average against in the league at .221 and the fifth best ERA in the conference at 2.12.
She has matched her career high for strikeouts on a trio of occasions this year, striking out 12 against Queens, Wingate and Mars Hill.
Fiessinger adds the all-region honor to a first-team All-SAC accolade.
An All-American a year ago, she is 14th in the conference and second on the team with a .382 batting average and 66 hits. Her 66 knocks rank third in the conference. She has tallied 14 doubles, two triples and five home runs. She has driven in 23 runs. Fiessinger has been on fire in March and April. She hit .400 for the Month of March and has her average at .407 for the month of April. She has registered 20 multi-hit days, and had seven multi-RBI efforts on the year. Fiessinger was also a member of the SAC All-Tournament Team.
First Team
Pos. First Name Last Name School
Pitcher Kylee Smith University of North Georgia
Pitcher Amber Johns University of North Georgia
Catcher Cailah Niles Anderson University
First Base Maria Williamson Coker College
Second Base Emily Harris Young Harris College
Third Base Jamie Johnson University of North Carolina at Pembroke
Shortstop Calli Star Columbus State University
Outfield Holland Coursey Georgia College
Outfield Hannah Riddle King University
Outfield Erin Boone Lenoir-Rhyne University
Designated Player Haley Simonds Newberry College
Utility-Pitcher Lacie Rinus Carson-Newman University
Utility-Non-Pitcher Abby Fiessinger Carson-Newman University
Second Team
Pos. First Name Last Name School
Pitcher Courtney Smith Limestone College
Pitcher Emily Kenley Lenoir-Rhyne University
Catcher Shelby Hammontree University of North Georgia
First Base Elizabeth Perdue Columbus State University
Second Base Ashley Parnell Limestone College
Third Base Jenna Burnett King University
Shortstop Natalie Willis Newberry College
Outfield Delaney Guerrero Tusculum College
Outfield Caroline Snider Georgia College
Outfield Kaylyn Anthony University of North Georgia
Designated Player Alishia Frierson University of North Georgia
Designated Player Kirstin Reynolds Columbus State University
Utility-Pitcher Aubrey Reep Wingate University
Utility-Non-Pitcher Hayley Tierce Georgia Southwestern State University
