University of Rio Grande announces Rio places six on All-RSC Softball First Team

RIO GRANDE, Ohio - The University of Rio Grande garnered six first team selections and had a trio of second team honorees on the 2023 All-River States Conference Softball Teams.
     The teams, as well as individual award winners, were announced as part of last weekend's RSC Softball Championship at Little Creek Park in South Charleston, W.Va. The all-conference awards were voted on by the league's head coaches.
The RedStorm was represented on the First Team by catcher Lexi Carnahan, infielders Caitlyn Brisker and Gabby Adams, outfielder Madison Perry, utility performer Kayla Sedgwick and pitcher Kali Brickman, who grabbed an at-large selection.
     Rio's second team honorees included junior pitcher Sydney Campolo (New Lexington, OH), sophomore infielder Boo Sturgill (Wheelersburg, OH) and senior outfielder Christen Risner (Wheelersburg, OH).
     Carnahan, a junior from Felicity, Ohio, batted .324 with 10 doubles and 30 runs batted in. Brisker, a junior from Oak Hill, Ohio, batted a team-high .408 with five home runs and 36 RBI, while also leading the team in hits (69), runs scored (53), triples (7) and stolen bases (25).
     Adams, a freshman from Grove City, Ohio, hit .367 with four homers, a team-best 20 doubles and a club-leading 48 RBI, while Perry - a freshman from Portsmouth, Ohio, batted .373 with one home run and 31 RBI.
     Sedgwick, a freshman from Richwood, Ohio, who saw action at both left field and third base, hit .359 with three home runs and 26 RBI, while Brickman - a junior from Huber Heights, Ohio - finished the year at 12-6 with a 2.73 earned run average, 10 complete games and a pair of shutouts in 24 appearances.
     Campolo posted a 17-10 record with a save and a 2.96 ERA in 29 appearances, while Sturgill batted .359 with five homers and 29 runs batted in. Her five homers tied Brisker for the team lead.
     Risner hit .270 with three homers, four triples and 32 RBI.
     This season, the conference recognized First, Second & Honorable Mention Teams, along with the individual awards for Player, Pitcher, Newcomer and Coach of the Year.
     Conference honors also included a Champions of Character Team and a Scholar-Athlete Team.
     The All-RSC First Team included three pitchers, two catchers, five infielders, four outfielders, a designated player, a utlility player and four at-large selections. The All-RSC Second Team features three pitchers, two catchers, five infielders, four outfielders, two designated players and two utlility selections.
     The Honorable Mention Team was comprised of those players who failed to garner enough votes for inclusion on the First or Second Teams, but who were nominated by their respective coaches for consideration.
     Joining Rio's selections to the First Team were pitchers Madison Ludwig of Midway University, Courtney Miles from West Virginia University-Tech and Madison Wathen of Indiana University Southeast; catcher Mary Andres from Midway; infielders Camryn Scott and Lyric Krause from St. Mary-of-the Woods College and Point Park University's Melanie Taylor; outfielders Tori Lee and Jaleigh Crawford from St. Mary-of-the-Woods and Autumn Oehlstrom of IU Southeast; Oakland City University designated player Megan Ghrist; and at-large honorees Kendall Brown of IU Southeast, Ohio Christian University's Kristin Gardner and McKendree Ward from Oakland City University.
     The remainder of the All-RSC Second Team was comprised of pitchers Lanna Martinez of St. Mary-of-the-Woods and Angalee Beall from Point Park; catchers Taylor Hoggatt of IU Southeast and Hailey Leitner from Point Park; infielders Cassi Roman and Macie Zink of IU Southeast, Morgan Nedley from Carlow University and Alex Bondi of Point Park; outfielders Cameron Meier of Point Park, Katie Templeman of IU Southeast and Raigan Allbert from Midway; designated players Savannah Gaither from IU Southeast and Mikayla Mills of St. Mary-of-the-Woods; and utility player Megan Pollinger of Carlow University.
     Oehlstrom was named both the Player of the Year and the Newcomer of the Year after leading IU Southeast to the league's regular season title and a berth in the NAIA National Championship Opening Round. The Wheeling Jesuit transfer is batting .494 with 13 home runs and 51 RBI. She also has 18 doubles and a .854 slugging percentage.
     Ludwig earned Pitcher of the Year honors. A workhorse in the circle for head coach Krystal Cammuse at Midway, she posted a 19-11 record with two saves and a 2.72 ERA in 33 appearances with 154 strikeouts in 201 innings pitched.
     IU Southeast head coach Tiffany Buckmaster was named the league's Coach of the Year in her second season.
     The RSC Champions of Character team honored one player from each school who best displays the NAIA Champions of Character traits of respect, responsibility, integrity, servant leadership and sportsmanship. Rio's honoree was freshman outfielder Addison Christopher (Mount Vernon, OH).
     The RSC Scholar-Athlete Team honored those with a 3.25 GPA or higher who have been at their school for at least two semesters. Nine members of the RedStorm roster made the list including Sturgill, Risner, Brickman, Young, Campolo, sophomore Hannah Beers (Springfield, OH), sophomore Makenzie Hanshaw (Ironton, OH), sophomore Megan Bazler (Portsmouth, OH) and sophomore Holly Alvoid (North Lewisburg, OH).
     A complete list of award winners and post-season honorees can be found at www.riverstatesconference.com. 

Original source can be found here.