PENN ST. ALTOONA'S BURGE EARNS SPOT ON PRESEASON ALL-AMERICAN TEAM

Penn State Altoona senior pitcher Kate Burge was named a second team NCAA Division III Preseason All-American on Tuesday afternoon by Fastpitch News (FPN).

Burge becomes the first player in Penn State Altoona softball history to earn Preseason All-American status from any organization.

The senior right-handed pitcher enjoyed a career year last spring for the Lady Lions, helping to lead her team to a 27-11 overall record, including a 15-3 mark in the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference, and a berth into the AMCC title game.

In 2016, Burge led the AMCC in shutouts (6) while ranking second in appearances (34), starts (31), wins (22), complete games (25), innings pitched (209 1/3), and strikeouts (167), fourth in opponent batting average (.216) and earned run average (1.61), and sixth in strikeouts per game (5.58). During the season, she was awarded the AMCC's Pitcher of the Week honor three times, and at the conclusion of the spring, she was voted first team All-AMCC and to the first team of the Eastern College Athletic Conference's Division III South Region All-Star squad.

FPN is an organization dedicated to covering the sport of women’s fastpitch softball. It provides news, analysis, opinions, and coverage of college, high school, professional, and international fastpitch leagues and organizations.