SOFTBALL: HORNETS COLLECT OEC AWARDS
Six Fullerton players earned All-Orange Empire Conference honors this week with sophomore center fielder Jill Saiza being named as the Defensive Player of the Year!
Saiza was phenomenal in center field this season running down fly balls and throwing out runners at home from deep center field. Jill's speed, athleticism, and ability to track the ball made her a force to reckon with in the outfield.
Making first team All-OEC was freshman 1B Eryka Springer who hit .405 at the plate. Springer also led the team in hits (51) RBI (44), and runs (28). She belted 7 home runs on the season. Springer's 44 RBI this season breaks the Hornet record for most RBI in a single season. The previous record was 43 held by Natasha Sisco in 1999.
Freshman outfielder Anabel Mendez and sophomore outfielder Mel Madrigal were second team All-OEC selections. Mendez batted .396 with 40 hits, 24 runs, 35 RBI, and hammered a team-high 8 home runs. Madrigal batted .359 with 33 hits, 27 runs, and 9 RBI. She also led the Hornets with 12 stolen bases.
Freshman infielder Elexa Rangel and sophomore Amanda Guillen earned honorable mention selections. Rangel batted .342 and was second on the team with 41 hits. She had 21 runs, 20 RBI, and 3 home runs. Guillen finished the regular season with a team-leading batting average of .419. She had 36 hits, 23 runs, 15 RBI, and 5 stolen bases.
The complete 2017 ALL-OEC Softball Team:
Coach of the Year: Brad Pickler - Cypress (40-0 regular season overall record)
Most Valuable Player: Sydney McCollum, Freshman - Cypress
Pitcher of the Year: Destiney Vasquez, Freshman - Cypress
Defensive Player of the Year: Jill Saiza, Sophomore - Fullerton
All-OEC First Team
Manoa Weijgertse - Santiago Canyon
Melanie Okazaki - Cypress
Emili Olague - Santiago Canyon
Eryka Springer - Fullerton
Emily Wilcox - Riverside
Nelsa Barilea - Saddleback
Alexis Zavala - Cypress
Kasey Hutton - Santa Ana
Vanessa Ledesma - Cypress
Raven Sapla - Santa Ana
Aeriel Carlson - Riverside
All-OEC Second Team
Jenny Vasquez - Cypress
Kiani Pouiloa - Cypress
Cayla Ezelle - Orange Coast
Drew Moore - Saddleback
Sydney Doherty - Santiago Canyon
Anabel Mendez - Fullerton
Mel Madrigal - Fullerton
Haliegh Wilkerson - Saddleback
Jynelle Pangelinan - Santa Ana
Amber Elliott - Santiago Canyon
Alyssa Sojka - Santiago Canyon
Honorable Mention
Emma Walker - Cypress
Patricia Boyette - Golden West
Reis Birkett - Saddleback
McKenna Boyle - Santiago Canyon
Kailee Gilbert - Riverside
Carly Buonarigo - Saddleback
Nicole Wise - Cypress
Amanda Guillen - Fullerton
Elexa Rangel - Fullerton
Carlie Chasulsett-Utley - Orange Coast
