Kristen Waldron
Staff writer
The Savage Storm has taken the Great American Conference regular season title and became the GAC tournament champions on April 28.
The SE softball team also won several honors from the GAC that were announced on April 24.
GAC Pitcher of the Year went to sophomore pre-nursing major Jacee Bennett.
Newcomer of the Year went to junior business major Mindy McElroy.
Ron Faubion was announced as Coach of the Year.
Faubion received his 700th win during the April 20 game against Southwestern.
The SE players who made the First Team All-GAC were Bennett, McElroy and senior psychology major Courtney Moore.
Those who made it to the Second Team All-GAC were freshman undecided major Jessica Simmons, junior health, physical education and recreation major Lacie Cook and freshman health, physical education and recreation major Laramie Beal.
The Honorable Mention All-GAC member from SE was freshman education major Courtney Riddle.
At the tournament, SE played and won four games to receive their title.
On April 25, the tournament began with SE beating Southwestern 3-2.
Cook and Riddle each earned an RBI, and Simmons, senior business major Paige Priest and sophomore pre-veterinarian major Darrian Williams each scored a single run.
Later on April 25, SE won against Arkansas-Monticello 5-3 to advance to the semi-finals.
Riddle earned three RBIs with Moore and sophomore pre-nursing major Whitney Hamilton each earning a single RBI. Cook scored two runs with Simmons, Priest and Bennett scoring one run a piece.
Day two of the tournament was rained out and pushed to April 27, when SE beat Henderson State by run rule 8-0 during the semi-finals.
Moore led with three RBIs and scored a run. Hamilton had two RBIs and a scoring run. Sophomore criminal justice major Lauren Renneker had two RBIs and Williams earned a single RBI. This allowed Cook to score two runs. Riddle, McElroy, Priest and junior psychology major Shyna Milam earned single runs across home plate to end the game.
The final game of the tournament was a repeat of the semi-finals between SE and Henderson, and the Storm was victorious, winning 6-2.
Cook, Riddle, Moore, Priest and Bennett each earned an RBI. Cook scored two runs, and Simmons, Williams, Bennett and senior health, physical education and recreation major Dakota Palmer each scored a run to claim the championship.
After the game the All-Tournament team was announced, four Savage Storm players made the team: Cook, Moore, Priest and Most Valuable Player of the Tournament McElroy.