There are a lot of great pitchers in D2 Softball. But which is the best? We put together a list of five, and we'll leave it up to you. The poll closes Tuesday at noon Pacific, so be sure to get your vote in on time, and share with friends so they can vote as well.
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Morgan Foley (Sr.) – University of Indianapolis
UIndy's All-Time Victory Leader Morgan Foley (photo courtesy of UIndianapolis Athletics)
BR-17 Indianapolis senior hurler Morgan Foley is already the Greyhounds all-time leader in victories with 100. The current D2 record-holder for strikeouts in a game (30) is coming off a 39-10 campaign last season. It was the second most wins in D2 last year, and her 1.19 ERA was good for the eighth spot. She is just 378 strikeouts away from becoming the all-time D2 leader with 1,162 in her career.
Foley is one of 50 softball student-athletes on the watch list for the 2016 NFCA/Schutt Sports D2 National Player of the Year award. UIndy opens play this weekend with a double-header at BR-142 Montevallo.
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Hannah Perryman (Sr.) – Missouri-St. Louis
UMSL Southpaw Hannah Perryman (photo courtesy of UMSL athletics)
BR-7 Missouri-St. Louis hurler Hannah Perryman enters her senior season as the NCAA career leader in strikeout ratio (12.8:1), and ranks 13th in D2 history with 1,158 career strikeouts. The UMSL career leader in wins with 83 and shutouts with 37, Perryman threw six perfect games in 2015, striking out all 15 batters she faced against BR-230 Lake Superior.
Perryman was a Top-3 finalist for the Schutt Sports/NFCA D2 National Player of the Year, and is picking right up where she left off in 2015. She was dominant in the circle last year, leading the Tritons to five of their first six wins. In her five starts, she didn’t allow a runner to cross the plate, surrendering just seven hits while striking out 64.
During the opening week Perryman registered her 12th career no-hitter with 10-strikeouts in a 4-0 win over BR-65 Southeastern Oklahoma, and her performance earned her the Louisville/Slugger NFCA D2 National Pitcher of the Week Award for the first week of the 2016 campaign – the third of her career.
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Courtney Poole (Sr.) – North Georgia
North Georgia pitcher, and 2015 NFCA/Schutt Sports Player of the Year Courtney Poole (photo courtesy of North Georgia athletics)
Senior BR-6 North Georgia hurler Courtney Poole set the bar pretty high in her junior season. Her 42 victories led the NCAA — across all divisions, and she was second in D2 with a 0.95 earned run average. The 2015 Peach Belt Pitcher of the Year finished the season with a 42-3 record in 50 starts.
This past week, Poole continued her dominance from the circle and was named the Peach Belt Conference AstroTurf Pitcher of the Week, collecting four wins and a save in UNG's five games at the Gulf Coast Invitational last weekend.
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Alex Sagl (Sr.) – California-Pennsylvania
Alex Sagl in the Circle for California-PA (photo courtesy of California-PA athletics)
A three-time PSAC West Pitcher of the Year, BR-99 California (PA) hurler Alex Sagl enters her senior season as a repeat NFCA All-American. Her 29 wins ranked in the top 15 in D2, and she added 279 strikeouts and 10 shutouts in 2015. Her 74 career wins and 656 strikeouts rank second in school history.
Fresh from being named to the Schutt Sports/National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) National Player of the Year Watch List, Sagl and the Vulcans open the season at the Snowbird Tournament in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina this weekend.
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Caitlyn Calhoun (Sr.) – Valdosta State
Valdosta State's Caitlyn Calhoun in the Circle (photo courtesy of Valdosta State athletics)
BR-2 Valdosta State’s Caitlyn Calhoun led the nation in shutouts in 2015 with 19, while her 3.62 hits-per game allowed ranked fourth overall. The senior hurler opened the 2016 season winning her eighth Gulf South Conference Pitcher of the Week Award of her career. After seven appearances, Calhoun, now 5-1 on the year, currently ranks second in the GSC in strikeouts with 44.
A returning NFCA All-American, Calhoun was recently named to the NFCA/Schutt Sports 2016 National Player of the Year Watch List.
Who is the Best Pitcher in D2 College Softball?
