Five Sea Gulls honored as ECAC All-Stars

CENTERVILLE, Mass. – The 2011 softball season ended more than two months ago, but the awards are still coming in for the outstanding season that saw Salisbury University as a regional finalist. On Wednesday the Eastern College Athletic Conference released its South All-Stars and five Sea Gulls were honored.

Junior Erika Brittingham was named the South All-Star Pitcher of the Year while first baseman Harley Hill claimed Rookie of the Year honors and Margie Knight was named the region's Coach of the Year.

Knight led the Sea Gulls to their fifth consecutive season with at least 36 wins while making a 12-0 run through the Capital Athletic Conference regular season and a clean sweep of the CAC tournament for the program's 15th straight league title.

Brittingham was not only one of the best pitchers in the region, but also one of the best in the country. Along with a 24-3 record and a 0.85 ERA (fourth in the nation), she led all of Division III softball by allowing just 2.36 hits per seven innings pitched. The Georgetown, Del., native, who was also named to the ECAC South All-Star First Team, struck out 274 batters in just over 154 innings pitched.

Hill made a big splash in her first season in the maroon and gold, starting all 42 games, and batting a team-high .428. The Huntingtown, Md., native ripped a team-high 18 doubles and drove in 34 runs. Hill also posted a .995 fielding percentage, tied for team-high of any player with at least 15 chances.

Sophomores Michelle Gravdahl and Lindsay McCabe were each named to the ECAC South All-Star Second Team.

Gravdahl was one of three players to start all 42 games. She batted .410 with five home runs (both numbers second on the team) and led the club with a .675 slugging percentage while handling Salisbury's outstanding pitching staff which posted a season ERA of 1.50 (ranked 10th in the nation).

McCabe scored 30 runs and drove in 23 while hitting four home runs. Her .391 batting average ranked third on the team while her four stolen bases were second-best.

To see the entire ECAC South All-Star team click here.