Every coach checks the opponent's line up to see who’s due up in the next inning – they also know who they DON'T want to see coming up next. We’ve put together five D1 hitters that are some of the most feared in NCAA Softball and now it's up to you to decide: Who would you least like to see coming up in the next half of the inning?
The poll closes Friday at noon Pacific, so be sure to get your vote in on time.[divider]
Sierra Romero (Sr.) – 2B – Michigan
.500 Avg.; 5 HR; 13 RBI; 15 Runs; 1.227 Slugging% through 9 games in 2016
2015 Stats
.449 Batting Avg (14th)
85 Runs Scored – 1.25/gm (T3rd)
83 RBI (3rd)
1st Team All-American (At-Large)
Last year’s Big Ten Tournament MVP and ESPNW Softball Player of the Year, BR-6 Michigan second baseman Sierra Romero (pictured above) has been a fixture up the middle for the Wolverines since earning Big Ten Player of the Year honors as a freshman shortstop. Now at second base, the senior from Murrieta California tops the MU offense in nearly every category.
Romero set school records last season with 83 RBIs and 85 runs scored, while hitting .449 with 22 homers. She led the Big Ten in all of those categories as well as with a .601 on-base percentage.
Through six games in 2016, Romero’s career total for runs scored sits at 234 – just 59 runs shy of the 20-year old record of 293. Her 10 career Grand Slams is already in the books.[divider]
Emily Carosone (Sr.) – 2B – Auburn
.379 Avg; 1 HR; 8 RBI; 14 Runs through 11 games in 2016
2015 Stats
.431 Batting Avg (31st)
88 Runs Scored 1.31/gm (1st)
80 RBI (5th)
1st Team All-American (2B)
Emily Carosone hit 18 home runs for Auburn last season – 5 of them grand slams (photo courtesy of Auburn Athletics)
BR-1 Auburn’s Emily Carosone was named NFCA First Team All-American, making her along with Kasey Cooper as the Tiger’s first two-time All-Americans in program history.
Carosone hit .438 to lead the team, which was also a new career-high for average in a season and the second-highest average in a season by any Auburn player in program history. She had 85 hits with 88 runs, 18 doubles, 18 home runs and 80 RBI – her 88 runs is a new Auburn single-season record and second-most in a season by an SEC player.
Of her 18 home runs, five were grand slams, one off the national record for grand slams in a season by an NCAA player.[divider]
Alex Hugo (Sr.) – 2B – Georgia
.412 avg; 2 HR; 15 RBI; 7 runs; 1.000 Slugging% through 9 games in 2016
2015 Stats
.389 Batting Avg.
63 Runs Scored – 1.07/gm (28th)
73 RBI (T10th)
2nd Team All-American (2B)
Georgia infielder Alex Hugo had 19 multi-RBI games in 2015 (photo courtesy of SEC Athletics)
An All-SEC First Team selection, BR-8 Georgia second baseman Alex Hugo posted 19 multi-RBI games and 16 multi-hit contests in 2015, reaching base safely in a season-long 23 game streak while posting an 11-game hit streak
Hugo had a three hit game, three times over the season , and drove in a career-best eight runs against Georgia Tech. She also hit two home runs in a game twice, including against National Champion BR-2 Florida, and posted 19 multi-RBI games with 16 multi-hit contests.[divider]
Delaney Spaulding (Jr.) – SS – UCLA
.290 avg; 2 HR; 8 RBI; 7 Runs through 10 games in 2016
2015 Stats
.397 Batting Avg.
69 Runs Scored – 1.10/gm (T20th)
72 RBI (T13th)
2nd Team All-American (SS)
Bruin Shortstop Delaney Spaulding had a 14-game hitting streak in 2015, that included 9 HR & 24 RBI (photo courtesy of UCLA Athletics)
Junior BR-11 UCLA shortstop Delaney Spaulding was named All-Pac-12 First Team after her sophomore season, which sje led the team with 72 runs batted in and tied for the team lead with 20 home runs. She led the PAC-12 in slugging percentage with .852, 69 runs scored, and 161 total bases.
Spaulding had a 14-game hitting streak (April 5-May 3) in which she hit .488 at the plate (21-for-43) with nine homers, 24 RBI, 20 runs and 12 walks.[divider]
Kristen Brown (Sr.) – SS – North Carolina
.464 batting avg; 5 HR: 16 RBI; 10 Runs; 1.036 Slugging% through 10 games
2015 Stats
.328 Batting Avg.
57 Runs Scored – 1.08/gm (24th)
67 RBI (T19th)
3rd Team All-American (SS At-Large)
North Carolina's Kristen Brown led the ACC with 24 HR's & 67 RBI (photo courtesy of Carolina Athletics)
BR-31 North Carolina shortstop Kristen Brown broke school records for home runs and RBI in a single season as well as setting the new career home run mark in 2015. Her 24 homers, 67 RBI and .853 slugging percentage topped the ACC. Brown was named All-ACC First-Team at short for the second consecutive season, along with her 3rd Team NFCA All-American honor. She also had five games with multiple home runs and 12 games with three-or-more RBI.
Who is the Most Feared Hitter in D1 Women’s Softball?
