Four Blue Tigers named to all-MIAA softball teams

The Lincoln softball team had four all-conference players - all of them honorable mention picks - when the All-Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association team was released Thursday.

The honorees included sophomore shortstop Sam Kircher, junior catcher Shantae Duren, senior outfielder Brianna Akers and senior designated player Tina Hein.

Kircher led Lincoln in a majority of the hitting categories this season. She led the squad in hits (43), batting average (.363), RBI (19) and runs scored (18). She was also second the team with six doubles and was one of just four Blue Tigers to hit a triple. She also had four home runs and six stolen bases.

Duren led the Blue Tigers with six multiple-RBI games. She hit. 264 with 13 RBI, pounding out five doubles and four home runs, and also scored 14 runs. She threw out eight attempted base stealers.

Akers led the club with seven doubles, as she notched a batting average of .295. Her 33 hits were second-most on the team and she scored 10 runs and had 14 RBI.

Hein hit .286 with seven RBI, three doubles and two home runs. She also made 13 pitching appearances, including two starts, and struck out eight in 22 innings.

Fort Hays State's Maddie Holub, who led the MIAA in earned run average (0.77) while hitting a league-best .451 with a league-high 18 home runs, was named both the MIAA Pitcher and Player of the Year.