Softball Places Six on Landmark All-Conference Team and Earns Coaching Staff of the Year
TOWSON, Md.- The Juniata softball team landed a program record five players on Landmark Conference All-Conference team, as Alison Superka and Alex Douglass were named to the First Team, Morgan Brumbaugh and Jessie Hunt were named to the Second Team, and Claire Thomas and Caleigh Love received Honorable Mention recognition. Head coach McKenna Garlock and assistant coaches Madison Wrightstone, Scott Fritz, and Abby Ettinger earned Coaching Staff of the Year honors for the second consecutive season.
Alison Superka earned her second consecutive First Team nod as a catcher. Among Landmark Conference players, she was tied for fourth in doubles (10), tied for fifth in home runs (4), fifth in RBIs (26), sixth in on-base percentage (.460), eighth in total bases (63), eighth in walks, ninth in OPS (1.043), tenth in slugging percentage (.583), tied for tenth in hits (41), 11th in runs scored (26), and 13th in batting average (.380). Earlier this season, she broke the program's home run record against Washington and Jefferson with her 14th career run home, while she now has 16 in her career. She is also tied for the third most doubles (32) in program history and fourth in RBIs (80), while she's drawn the third most walks (35)
Alex Douglass follows up a 2022 First Team outfielder selection with her second appearance on the team in 2024. Among Landmark players in the regular season, she ranked tied for tenth in hits (41), tenth in runs scored (27), tied for third in sacrifice hits (5), and tied for 12th in stolen bases. 27 runs scored is currently tied for the ninth most in a single season in program history. Outside of those stat categories, she is slashing .360/.365/.386. Douglass, this season, has moved to sixth in program history with 26 stolen bases to date.
Jessie Hunt was placed on an All-Conference team for the first time as a Second Team Designated Player. Among Landmark players, she had the sixth-best batting average (.416), the seventh-best slugging percentage (.629), the tenth-best on-base percentage (.441), the eighth-best OPS (1.070), tied for the fourth-most doubles (10), tied for the sixth-most RBIs (25), and the 13th most total bases (56). Through her first three seasons, her batting average (.380) is on pace to tie for the third-best in program history.
Morgan Brumbaugh's first season in Blue and Gold sees her earn Second Team honors at third base. Among Landmark Conference players, she tied for the 14th most RBIs (20) and tied for the ninth most triples (2). She has a line this season of .329/.353/.512.
Claire Thomas had a strong second season for the Eagles, receiving Honorable Mention at first base. Among Landmark Conference players, she tied for the third-most home runs, tied for the fourth-most doubles (10), tied for the tenth-most RBIs (22), was ninth in slugging percentage (.608), 11th in total bases (59), and 12th in OPS (.995). Her five homers so far are tied for the fourth-most in a single season in program history.
Caleigh Love is a first-time All-Conference selection as an Honorable Mention second base pick in her senior season. In the regular season, she slashed .333/.384/.474 with 26 hits, a homer, 17 RBIs, four stolen bases, and 18 runs scored.
The Eagles, led by McKenna Garlock, earn back-to-back Coaching Staff of the Year honors, splitting the recognition with Moravian. Juniata's regular season saw them go 18-17, 10-6, with the most conference wins in a season in program history and the best in-conference winning percentage since an 8-4 2009 Landmark Conference campaign, with this season's .625 winning percentage the program's second best. Among Landmark Conference sides, Juniata hitting has posted the second-best batting average (.312), second-best slugging percentage (.426), the second-best on-base percentage, the second-most doubles (61), the third-most home runs (16), the third-most RBIs (163), the fourth-most hits (313), and the fourth-best stolen base percentage (.891).
Juniata has booked a spot in the Landmark Conference Tournament for the first time since 2021, entering as the third seed in a four-team, double-elimination tournament. They'll face #2 Catholic to open play on Friday from host Moravian.