Gray, Ducat Headline Postseason OCCAC Softball Awards

By Nicholas Huenefeld/OCCAC Sports Information

The OCCAC has announced its postseason awards and all-conference team, and 2015 OCCAC champion Owens Community College headlined the awards.

Jacey Gray, a freshman outfielder from Owens, was named the OCCAC Player of the Year. She went 23-for-43 (.535) over 12 conference games, while adding 15 runs, six RBI, three walks and 14 stolen bases.

Lesley Ducat, a sophomore pitcher from Owens, was named the OCCAC Pitcher of the Year for the second consecutive year. She went 6-0 with a 2.92 ERA in league play with 53 strikeouts over 52.2 innings pitched.

Marcus Smith of Owens won the OCCAC Coach of the Year award.

Owens went 31-16 overall and 10-2 in league play. They finished three games ahead of second place Sinclair Community College (36-12, 7-5 OCCAC) and Cuyahoga Community College (19-17, 7-5 OCCAC), who both tied in the final standings. Lakeland Community College finished in fourth place.

Aside from Gray and Ducat, Owens also placed Tori Weidinger, Katie Jensen and Makayla Burtscher on the all-conference team. Sinclair's Alex Hendrix, Madison Monnin, Kelly Wood and Liz Hillen also made the team, while Meredith Chopka, Mary Gorski, Ciara Gorman and Abigail Knecthel made the team from Cuyahoga. Lakeland's Halle McKinley and Katie Uminski rounded out the all-conference team.

In postseason play, Owens and Sinclair both advanced to the Region XII District I softball tournament. Owens came out on top to advance to this week's NJCAA Division II National Tournament in Clinton, Miss.

In Region XII District J tournament, Cuyahoga advanced to the loser's bracket finals before falling to St. Clair County 10-9 in eight innings. Lakeland did not qualify for the postseason.