Softball Returns to SLIAC Postseason to Highlight Successful 2024 Season

CARLINVILLE, IL – The 2024 season for Blackburn College Softball featured lots of success as they highlighted the year with a return to the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Tournament for the first time since the 2012 season while posting their most wins since 2013. 

The team finished the year with seven doubleheader sweeps, including sweeps over SLIAC foes Westminster College and Eureka College. Blackburn collected their first win over the season by defeating Bethel College 8-7 in the first game of their spring break trip to Tennessee. They returned from the trip to win eight straight games, defeating Harris Stowe University, Maranatha Baptist and Monmouth College and outscored their opponents 99-17 during this time. 

Several players earned all conference recognition throughout the year as well. Sophomore Zoe Mitchell and Taylor Girth earned Hitter and Pitcher of the Week honors in March while freshman Kailynn Kruep added another Hitting of the Week honor later in the season. 

Freshman Kenadee Frey ended the season with First Team All-Conference recognition after notching a total of 37 hits, 12 doubles, four triples and four home runs while scoring 30 runs and knocking in 17 RBI's. Junior Julianna Tabian earned Second Team All-Conference as she finished the year with a team best .446 batting average, posting 26 hits, five doubles, and 10 runs scored along with 17 RBI's. She also finished 4-1 from the pitching circle. Kruep was named Third Team All-Conference after she tallied 25 hits with seven doubles, two triples and two home runs while also scoring 17 runs and knocking in 12. She led the team with five stolen bases as well. She finished the conference season hitting .351 to lead the team despite missing three weeks due to injury. Senior Natalie Smith was placed on the league's All-Sportsmanship Team. 

Tabian finished the season ranked second in the league with her .446 batting average. Frey ended ranked seventh in triples and fourth in doubles. Senior Holly Heuerman tied for sixth in the league with four home runs. As a team, the Beavers finished third in runs scored, doubles and triples and were fourth in hits and home runs. 

In the pitching circle, junior Shelby Koeing led with a team best 81 strikeouts which put her fourth in the conference with Girth chipping in with 67 to put her seventh. The entire pitching staff finished third in the league with a total of 174 strikeouts. 

The season culminated with a return to the SLIAC Tournament where the Beavers held a 2-0 lead heading into the sixth inning. The postseason appearance marked their first postseason since 2012. 

With the team expected to return 14 players including a majority of their starting lineup, the future continues to look bright for the softball team.