The National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) continued their preseason softball preview by naming the nation’s top returning pitchers and positions players heading into the 2015 season.
Hannah Johnson (Branson, MO) earned national recognition as a top returning pitcher.
Laken Shankle
The Harding University signee finished her first season in the red and blue with a 17-5 record and a 2.00 ERA with 60 strikeouts in 129.2 innings of work.
Cara Hopper (Caledonia) got the nod as a top returning pitcher and top returning outfielder.
As a freshman, she led the NJCAA with six saves and finished the season with a 5-2 record and a 1.50 ERA to go along with 45 strikeouts in 24 appearances while batting .367 with 15 doubles, one triple, four home runs, and 35 RBI on the season.
Haley Moore (Fulton), Laken Shankle (Bruce), Arriann Henry (Ecru), and Autumn Bonner (Fayette, AL) were also named to the list of the nation’s top returning position players.
Moore, a shortstop, batted .391 with nine doubles, five triples, four homers, and 40 RBI in 169 at-bats in the leadoff position. She also led the nation by successfully stealing on 36-of-37 attempts as a freshman.
Shankle, an outfielder and catcher, hit for .369 with six doubles and three triples with 9 RBI while stealing 8 bases in her first season with the Lady Indians.
Henry, a first baseman, batted .311 with six double, a triple, and four home runs to drive in 21 RBI in 74 at-bats last season.
Bonner, a catcher, hit .262 with four doubles and a triple with 15 RBI in 103 at-bats as a freshman.
ICC will open its season on Tuesday, February 3 with a home doubleheader against Co-Lin with a 2:00 p.m. opening pitch.