Nicholls players Bertot, Gaspard, Ray collect Southland honors
Published: Tuesday, May 8, 2012 at 4:52 p.m.
Last Modified: Tuesday, May 8, 2012 at 4:52 p.m.
FRISCO, Texas – The Nicholls State University softball team had a trio of players recognized with individual accolades on Tuesday as the Southland Conference announced its postseason honors.
Junior Ashley Bertot headlined the honorees, receiving first-team All-Southland and Newcomer of the Year. Senior Ashley Ray received second-team honors, while classmate Megan Gaspard was named third-team.
Bertot, a second baseman from League City, Texas, is the fifth Colonel to earn Southland Newcomer of the Year, joining Rashunda Taylor (1995), Debbie Goddu (1996), Courtney Blades (1997) and Ray (2011). In addition with Bertot’s first-team honors, Nicholls has placed a player on the SLC’s top squad for the seventh consecutive year.
Bertot, who played her first two seasons at the University at Buffalo, finished the year with the Southland’s best batting average (.388), becoming the sixth Colonel to accomplish the feat. Along with leading the league in hitting, the second baseman was tops in on-base percentage (.429), hits per game (1.23) and ranked second in stolen bases (15). On the year, the Colonel leadoff hitter had 14 multi-hit games, a nine-game hitting streak and ranked seventh in the conference in runs scored (30).
With her .388 clip, Bertot posted the seventh best batting average for a single-season in program history. She totaled 54 hits in 44 games and was held hitless in only eight outings. In conference play she was as equally impressive, compiling a .387 average.
Ray, a native of Lafayette, earned second-team after hitting .350 with seven home runs and 29 RBIs. On the season, she had 13 multi-hit games, racking up 43 hits, 10 doubles and a .602 slugging percentage.
http://www.houmatoday.com/article/20120508/WIRE/120509604