Warford Named KIAC Player of the Year
FRANKFORT, Ky. – Prior to the start of the KIAC Softball Tournament the league coaches voted Asbury senior centerfielder Mary Ann Warford Player of the Year. Four other Eagles, freshman Julie Jarboe, junior Maris Harreld, junior Kelsey Robinson and senior Miranda Drury were selected to the All-Conference team.
Warford currently ranks 11th in the NAIA in batting average (.476) and stolen bases (34). She racked up 69 hits during the regular season which led the conference and set a school record for a single season. A now three-time All-Conference selection, Warford was also named to the NCCAA Mid-East Region team and was selected as the school’s first female Capitol One Academic All-District selection. She is the second KIAC Player of the Year in school history after Carrie Wilderman won the award in 2009.
Harreld, a junior pitcher, was selected to the All-KIAC team for the second time after also being selected in 2010 as a freshman. Harreld led the conference with a 1.58 ERA and finished the regular season at 9-9. She pitched 120 innings, striking out 75 and walking only 24. She also batted .346 with 10 doubles, four homeruns and 22 RBI.
Fellow junior Kelsey Robinson was also selected to the team as an at-large pick, becoming the sixth pitcher on the 19-member team. Robinson is making her first appearance on the team after a season winning 10 games against 12 losses. She turned in a 3.18 ERA in 136.1 innings, striking out 79 and walking only 18. She also batted .273 in 88 at-bats.
Julie Jarboe is making her first appearance on the All-Conference team after joining the team in March once the basketball season was completed. The dual sport athlete hit .396 with 12 doubles and 27 RBI. She ranks second on the team in RBI and hits (40).
Miranda Drury was selected to the team for the third consecutive year. The senior hit .368 with team highs in doubles (14), homeruns (5) and RBI (31). She also led the team in slugging percentage at .623. She ranked among the league leaders in nearly all offensive categories despite missing the first 12 games of the season.
KIAC Regular Season Champion Indiana Southeast placed six players on the team, the most of any school. Asbury was second with five followed by Brescia with four, Berea with two and Midway and Alice Lloyd with one each. Brescia’s Traci Smith was named Coach of the Year and Indiana Southeast’s Kayla Duke was named Pitcher of the Year for the third consecutive year.
The 2012 KIAC Tournament is set to begin on Friday at 9 am. Asbury is the #2 seed and will play the winner of #3 seed Brescia and #6 seed Alice Lloyd at 3:45 pm on Friday.
