AMCC COACHES EXPECT BEHREND TO FINISH AT TOP OF SOFTBALL STANDINGS

Penn St. Behrend, winners of eight AMCC softball titles, is expected to pick up another title this year, according to league coaches. Coaches look for Medaille College to finish in second, with 2018 AMCC Champion Mount Aloysius College rounding out the top three.

Penn St. Altoona senior Haley Giedroc has been selected as the AMCC Preseason Player of the Year. Giedroc was a first team all-conference selection in 2018. She ranked first in the conference in assists (110), second in doubles (14), and was third in the AMCC in runs scored (38), RBI (30), total bases (81), on-base percentage (.497), and slugging percentage (.638). Additionally, Giedroc ranked fifth in the conference in hits (54), stolen bases (19), and batting average (.425). She was also named the AMCC Player of the Week one time.

Medaille junior Laura Kratzke is the AMCC Preseason Pitcher of the Year. Kratzke Appeared in all 36 games for the Mavericks as a sophomore, making 34 starts in the circle. She pitched 217.2 innings, earning seven complete game shutouts, going the distance 28 times and finishing with a 2.89 ERA. She struck out 249 batters while walking just 47. Her 20 wins set a new program record for most wins in a single season, with her ERA ranking second all-time just behind her freshman season. Her shutout and strikeout totals also set new single season program records, and also ranked her top-17 in the nation in both categories. She was just as good at the plate, going 19-54 for a .352 batting average. For her efforts, she became the first player in program history to be named AMCC all-conference first team for two different positions (P, DP) while also being named the AMCC Softball Player of the Year.

The AMCC tournament will be held May 3-5 at the site of the #1 seed, with the winner earning the conference’s automatic bid to the NCAA tournament.

Click here for the complete preseason rankings and players to watch.