By: Jake Krier, UWEC Sports Information
MADISON, Wis. (blugolds.com) - On Tuesday, the 2017 All-Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Softball Team was announced, and six Blugolds received recognition for their efforts this season.
A trio of seniors were named All-WIAC, with those being Lauren Blasczyk (Sr.-Appleton, WI/East), Rachel Heffel (Sr.-Racine, WI/Case), and Evie Schaller (Sr.-Chippewa Falls, WI/Chi-Hi).
Blasczyk led the Blugolds in a number of pitching categories on the year, including innings pitched (131.2), wins (13), saves (2), and strikeouts (94). As of the last statistics update on the WIAC website, her 1.40 earned run average was third-best in the conference, while her punch-out total was good for fourth-best.
Heffel topped the squad in at-bats (129), hits (44), singles (40), runs scored (41), and stolen bases (39). The Blugolds lead-off hitter finished in the top-20 of the conference with a .350 batting average, and she led the WIAC in stolen bases in addition to breaking the school record for steals in a season.
Schaller's hitting numbers certainly led to her All-WIAC selection, as she led the team in doubles (11), home runs (6), runs batted in (36), batting average (.404), on-base percentage (.487), and slugging percentage (.717). Her average at the plate was good for top-10 in the conference, while she finished tied for second in home runs and third in RBIs.
Two underclassmen were named to the All-WIAC Honorable Mention team as well. Sarah Peka (Fr.-Chanhassen, MN/Minnetonka) and Brooke Varian (So.-Madison, WI/West) received these honors.
Peka put together impressive pitching numbers during her debut season with the Blugolds. The freshman posted a record of 11-1 with an earned run average just over two and her walks and hits per innings pitched just over one. Her ERA found itself in the top-5 of the conference, and she was one of only six pitchers in the WIAC to earn double digit wins.
Varian finished in the top-3 for the Blugolds in the following hitting categories: hits (31), doubles (7), home runs (5), RBIs (28), and runs scored (19). In each of those, she was only topped by seniors and therefore will be a bat in the lineup that Eau Claire will depend on moving forward.
Additionally, Kelsey Meredith (Sr.-Golden Valley, MN/Armstrong) was named to the conference's All-Sportsmanship Team. She finished her season with a .250 batting average, .500 on-base percentage, two home runs, and eight RBIs.
The Blugolds finished the regular season with a record of 27-9 and 8-6 in the WIAC, good for fourth in the conference.
Follow the action for all sports this season on Blugold Game Day.
