Softball: Five earn All-NCAC honors, Ozbun named Coach of the Year

The Denison softball team landed five on the 2009 North Coast Athletic Conference all-conference teams and head coach Tiffany Ozbun was honored as NCAC Coach of the Year after capturing the program's sixth conference regular season crown.

After landing second-team accolades a year ago juniors Brie Berkopec (Mars, Pa./Mars Senior) and Alex Murray (Mayfield Hts., Ohio/Notre Dame-Cathedral Latin) received first-team honors this season. Berkopec hit .386 (49-for-127) with 13 doubles, nine home runs, 89 RBIs and 22 runs scored. The junior catcher also compiled a .701 slugging percentage and a .974 fielding percentage. Murray was .336 (42-for-125) at the dish as the Big Red's starting third baseman. She notched 10 doubles, three homers, scored 26 runs scored and drove in 19 more.

Joining the junior duo on the first team were senior outfielder Mary Beth Krolikowski (Brunswick, Ohio/Holy Name) and junior designated player/pitcher Sam Rumschlag (Carmel, Ind./Cathedral). Krolikowski also finished the season with a .386 batting average (56-for-145) with six doubles, four triples, two home runs, 32 runs, 23 RBIs and a .524 slugging percentage. Coming off her most productive season, the senior will finish her career at Denison ranked fourth in triples, home runs and slugging percentage (.421) and fifth in batting average (.317).

Rumschlag went .356 (47-for-132) at the plate during her junior campaign with eight doubles, two home runs, 22 RBIs and 21 runs scored. In addition to her performance at the plate, the junior hurler went 10-10 inside the circle for DU. Rumschlag posted a 2.07 ERA with 95 strikeout and held opposing batters to a .255 average in 145.1 innings.

First-year Lauren Lynn (Cincinnati, Ohio/Sycamore) earned a spot on the second team after leading the Big Red with a .437 (52-for-119) batting average. Lynn laced 11 doubles, scored 23 runs and knocked in 20 tallies. The rookie drew a team-high tying 14 walks, had a .555 slugging percentage and a .500 on-base percentage.

In just her second year at the helm of the Denison softball team Ozbun won her first NCAC Coach of the Year honor. Ozbun has compiled a 49-30 overall record and a 19-9 conference mark in her first two seasons.