EVANSVILLE, Ind. - Saginaw Valley State senior
softball phenom Marsha Beaubien (Alpena, Mich.) was named the 2009
Daktronics, Inc. Midwest Region Player of the Year today (May 13),
in a vote by the Midwest Region's sports information
directors. She also was named the First Team All Midwest along with
junior Angela Kaiser (Waterford, Mich.). Sophomore pitcher Jade
Fulton (Byron, Mich.) and senior Stacy Kraatz (Howell,
Mich./Hartland H.S.) were named Second Team All Region.
Beaubien has compiled a .384 batting average with nine home runs
and 36 RBIs in 2009. The 2009 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic
Conference Player of the Year led the Cardinals to the GLIAC
Tournament title and the first-ever NCAA II Midwest Super Regional,
where the Cardinals are playing host to Indianapolis.
Beaubien has been a force on the diamond this season, where she
leads the GLIAC with her .384 batting average, runs scored (44),
slugging percentage (.651), on base percentage (.467), is tied for
third with nine homeruns and is fourth in RBI with 36. She is also
the league leader with 37 stolen bases, a number that out-ranks
eight of the other nine GLIAC teams, and has stolen second and
third on consecutive plays five times this season.
Kaiser has 41 runs on the season (2nd in the GLIAC), is ranked 3rd
in the conference with a .363 batting average, is tied for 3rd with
57 hits and is atop the list with seven triples, is tied for 3rd
with seven homeruns and is tied for 2nd with 10 stolen bases. She
leads the Cardinals with 10 multi-RBI games, and is tied with
Beaubien for 1st with 17 multi-hit games.
Fulton has been dominate in the circle all season for the Cardinals
as she has recorded 219 strikeouts to only 15 walks on her way to
18 wins this season. Fulton has 19 complete games with eight
shutouts to her credit. On March 14, she recorded a no-hitter
against Southwest Minnesota State on the final day of the Rebel
Spring Game, and was named NFCA National Pitcher of the Week ending
March 14 for her efforts in Florida. Her 1.11 ERA is good enough
for 4th in the GLIAC.
Kraatz added two homeruns in the GLIAC Tournament to push her
season total to nine, and move her career total to 28. She has
taken over the #1 spot in SVSU's history books with the most
homeruns in a career, moving past the previous benchmark that was
set from 2000-2003 seasons. Her 37 RBI ranks her 4th in the
GLIAC.
Beaubien, Kaiser, Fulton and Kraatz have led the Cardinals to the
team's first Midwest Super Regional this weekend (May 15-16)
against Indianapolis in a best-of-three showdown that is scheduled
to get underway at 2 p.m. Friday at the SVSU Sports Complex
