Link to NJAC Release
Ewing, NJ…The College of New Jersey softball team had a number of players recognized for their performances throughout the season as four Lions were honored by the New Jersey Athletic Conference.
Senior Ellen Seavers (Ridgewood, NJ/Ridgewood) earned All-NJAC First Team for the second straight year, while sophomore Caitlyn Seamster (Edison, NJ/John P. Stevens), freshman Crystal Lee (Dover, NJ/Morris Knolls), freshman Lauren Fitzsimmons (Bridgewater, NJ/Bridgewater-Raritan) each secured a spot on the second team.
Seavers started every game at shortstop fort the Lions this season and is second on the team in batting with an average of .319. She also leads the team in hits (38) and stolen bases (17) and tied in home runs (3), while ranking second in runs (21), doubles (6), runs batted in (19), and walks (10). In each of her three seasons as a member of TCNJ’s program, Seavers has been cited by the NJAC being named to the first team in each of the last two seasons and received honorable mention in 2007.
Seamster landed a spot on the All-NJAC Second Team at first base and has boasted a sparkling .983 fielding percentage. The sophomore has also contributed at the plate hitting .271 driving in nine runs and scoring seven times.
Lee has settled into the lead-off spot in the Lion line-up and has responded by hitting a team-leading .338 with 23 runs scored. Her 11 walks and .443 on-base percentage also lead the team. She has been near-perfect on the base paths stealing 12 bases in 13 attempts. Lee was a one-time honoree during the year as the NJAC Rookie of the Week.
Fitzsimmons played a key role in the team’s success on the mound leading the team in wins (9), earned-run-average (0.94), and strikeouts (108). She recorded at least eight strikeouts in a game on seven occasions and posted a career-high 13 against SUNY Plattsburgh. Fitzsimmons also had a team-leading five shutouts and three times this spring was tabbed as the NJAC Rookie pitcher of the Week.
The Lions (24-15) finished the regular season with a 12-6 mark in conference play and garnered the third seed in the NJAC Tournament. TCNJ took advantage of getting a home game in the opening round of the tournament as they knocked off fourth-seeded Ramapo College 2-1 in eight innings. The Lions will face second-seeded William Paterson University in the winner’s bracket on Friday, May 1 at 4 p.m. The remained of the conference tournament will be held at top-seeded Rowan University.