Moon Township, Pa. – A total of four RMU softball student-athletes were bestowed postseason honors from the Horizon League Tuesday in a vote of league head coaches. Senior
Erika Bell, fifth-year
Taylor Rhinehart and freshman
Meadow Sacadura were each named to the 2022 All-Horizon League Second Team, while freshman
Alaina Koutsogiani joins Sacadura on the 2022 All-Horizon League Freshman Team.
Bell, a native of Canal Fulton, Ohio, and recently named to the
2022 Horizon League All-Academic Team, enters the 2022 #HLSB Tournament leading the Colonials in doubles (10), triples (3) and RBI (29) while producing a slash line of .282/.379/.473. She ranks fourth in the league in RBI and is tied for fourth in the circuit in doubles and walks (20). Elsewhere among Horizon League leaders, Bell sits 10th in on-base + slugging percentage (OPS) at .852.
During the 2022 season, Bell posted a streak of safely reaching base in 22 consecutive contests, the longest by an RMU student-athlete since 2011. In 149 career games with the Colonials, including 137 starts, Bell owns a batting average of .276 (113-for-409) with 22 doubles, eight home runs and 67 RBI. She also became the eighth player in program history to draw at least 50 walks by collecting a pair in RMU's regular-season finale @ Youngstown State (5/8).
Rhinehart, a native of Woodinville, Wash., has been a key fixture for the Colonials in 2022, both at the dish and in the circle. She leads RMU in batting average (.307) and slugging (.482) while owning a team-high five home runs. Rhinehart also has smacked nine doubles and is tied for second on the team with 24 RBI.
From the circle, Rhinehart enters the 2022 Horizon League Tournament leading the Colonials in earned run average (ERA) at 1.48, producing a 4-0 record and four saves. In 52 innings, Rhinehart has struck out 46 and allowed just 36 hits and 12 walks. She leads the Horizon League in earned run average (ERA) and opposing batting average (.191) and is tied with Madisyn Eads of Northern Kentucky in saves.
Sacadura, a native of Mechanicsville, Md., earns dual honors, being selected to both the 2022 All-Horizon League Second Team and 2022 All-Horizon League Freshman Team. In 30 games, including 28 starts, Sacadura has hit .300 (24-for-80) with six runs, four doubles, a pair of home runs and nine RBI. She's also been a stalwart defensively for the Colonials, throwing 11-of-32 opponents (34.4%) trying to steal.
Koutsogiani, a native of Peters Township, Pa., enters the 2022 #HLSB Tournament as one of three Colonials to start each of RMU's 46 games. She has produced a slash line of .280/.379/.395 during her rookie campaign, leading the team in on-base percentage. Among Horizon League leaders, Koutsogiani sits atop the leaderboard in stolen bases with 37, a mark that has established a new RMU single-season record and is also tied for seventh among NCAA Division I leaders with Tatum Kresley (UMES), Sarah Price (USC Upstate) and Jenna Wildeman (Central Arkansas). Her 37 thefts is already tied for sixth in the RMU career record book with Natalie Aloi (1998-01) and Jordan Gurganus (2014-17). Koutsogiani also ranks third in the Horizon League in runs (32), is tied for fifth in hit by pitch (9) and is tied for sixth in hits (44).
Led by fourth-year head coach
Jexx Varner, the Colonials concluded the 2022 regular season with an overall record of 27-19 (.587), including a mark of 16-9 (.640) in the Horizon League. As the No. 4 seed in the
2022 Horizon League Tournament, RMU will open play against No. 5 seed Green Bay Wednesday, May 11, with first pitch slated for Noon.
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