First-year Taylor McKenzie highlights a group of six Southwestern softball players to earn Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference (SCAC) all-conference honors, making All-SCAC Second Team and winning the Newcomer of the Year award.
In her first year in the circle, McKenzie immediately impacted the Pirates. The first-year hurler from Glen Rose, Texas, is currently among the league's elite, ranked in the top five in several statistical categories entering the SCAC Tournament, including second in appearances (24), strikeouts (114), and strikeouts per seven innings (6.78). McKenzie is currently third with 117.2 innings pitched with a fifth-best ERA of 2.91. Each of those marks is the best among first-year pitchers. In addition, her 17 starts and 10 complete games are currently sixth-best in the conference, and her seven wins on the season are tied for seventh-most. McKenzie's Newcomer-of-the-Year honor is the fourth in Southwestern program history, joining Lauren Zearfoss (2011), Kelsey Kingston (2013), and Grace Phelps (2018).
"Taylor has been a huge reason we've been competitive with seven starts decided by one run one," Southwestern head softball coach Alexis Lynn says. "She has some good stuff, and for her to come in and make a difference is huge."
Senior second baseman Maddie Mefford and first-year designated player Jodi Glenn-Millhouse earned All-SCAC Second Team honors. Mefford hit a SCAC-best 13 doubles, producing the eighth-most hits in the conference with 39. In addition, she led Southwestern with 19 RBIs and 12 runs, the fourth-most on the team. Her .310 batting average is second.
Mefford is now a three-time All-SCAC selection, having earned All-SCAC First Team last season and All-SCAC Second Team in 2019.
"Maddie Mefford has been consistent for us all year, works hard at practice every day, and is the heart and soul of our team. As Maddie goes, we go offensively," Lynn says. "She's been a mainstay at second base her entire career, and her third all-conference award is a testament to how good of a player she is."
Glenn-Millhouse, Southwestern's speedy slap-hitting leadoff hitter, led the team with a .337 batting average, the 14th-best in the conference. She also led the team with 17 runs scored.
"Jodi brings some speed to the top of the lineup," Lynn says. "Not very many designated players are slappers, but she makes an impact and gets our offense going."
Juniors Alex Fletes, Jessey Nunez, and Erica Otto earned All-SCAC Honorable Mention. Fletes, an outfielder, led Southwestern with six stolen bases while hitting .266 with a .373 on-base percentage and scoring 13 runs. A three-year starter at shortstop, Nunez hit .226 with a .327 on-base percentage. In addition, she posted a .908 fielding percentage and finished second in the SCAC with 81 assists.
"Alex had a rocky start, but once she found her groove, she was a mainstay at the ninth spot, turning the lineup over with people on base," Lynn says. "Jessey is someone who puts in extra work, and she's been solid for us lately, so I'm happy for her to get this recognition."
Otto, a first-year outfielder who also plays on the Southwestern volleyball team, broke into the lineup as an everyday player a month into the season. Batting in the second spot in the batting order, she was a rare slap hitter with power, combining consistency (.298 batting average, .416 on-base percentage) and strength (three doubles, three triples). She drove in 12 RBIs in her first season and scored 15 runs while boasting a .953 fielding percentage.
"A lot of teams don't know how to defend her. So when you have a slapper who can play small ball and swing away with power, it's a huge plus for us to have," Lynn says. "I knew heading into the season it was only a matter of time before she got some chances, and she made the most of her opportunity."
Southwestern finished the regular season with a 14-24 season and lost in the first game of the SCAC Tournament. The Pirates will play St. Thomas tomorrow at 12:30 p.m. in an elimination game.