EMU’s softball team is well represented in the postseason awards handed down by the Old Dominion Athletic Conference, as four Royals were named All-ODAC. The women had a player named to each of the three teams, including a pair of repeat honorees.
Sophomore Sydney Reath (Chambersburg, Pa./Mercersburg Academy) was named All-ODAC First Team as a utility player. She was Second Team at second base last year. Reath spend most of her time as either a designated player or pitcher, where she earned a record of 11-7 with two saves in 105.2 innings. At the plate, she hit .342 with two homeruns and 24 runs, and notched team highs with 28 RBIs and 13 doubles. In two seasons with EMU, Reath already has 24 career doubles.
Senior Mariah Foltz (Broadway, Va./Broadway) wrapped up an outstanding career with an All-ODAC Second Team spot at third base. She also batted .342 and added 22 RBIs. Foltz was second on the team with 31 runs scored, 10 doubles and six stolen bases. Incredibly tough to strike out, she drew 14 walks against just six strikeouts. For her career, Foltz was a .347 hitter with 108 runs and 103 RBIs. She also smacked 39 doubles, coming within one of Molly Smith‘s career record of 40. This is the third All-ODAC award for Foltz, including a First Team nod in 2016.
Also on the Second Team, freshman Savannah Jones (Stanley, Va./Page County) had one of the best offensive rookie seasons in program history, leading Eastern Mennonite with a .398 batting average, .475 on-base percentage and .563 slugging percentage. She matched Foltz with 14 walks, and was one of six Royals with at least 14 free passes. Jones hit two homers and added nine doubles. She earned a spot as an outfielder, after coming into the EMU program as an infielder.
Freshman Beck Hoskins (Danville, Va./Westover Christian Academy) locked up a spot on the All-ODAC Third Team, also as an outfielder. She drew the starting nod in centerfield from day one, and slowly worked her way to the top of the batting order. The speedy left-hander batted .355 with team highs of 33 runs, 44 hits, 17 walks and 19 stolen bases. The stolen bases were the highest single season total of any individual player in Coach J.D. McCurdy‘s 14 seasons.
Eastern Mennonite won the first 12 games of the spring for the best start in program history. The Royals finished at 22-16 overall and 9-11 in the ODAC.