WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Senior first baseman Ashley Burkhardt and junior pitcher Lilly Fecho were named to the NFCA Louisville Slugger All-Midwest Region first team on Thursday morning, making the pair eligible for All-America honors.
The 2015 selection marks the third straight for Burkhardt, following third team accolades at first base in 2014 and first team honors at second base in 2013, and is the second straight for Fecho, who was a third-team all-region selection in 2014. This marks the third straight year that at the Boilermakers have boasted an all-region selection, following two honorees in 2013 and a record six in 2014.
Burkhardt earned spots on the Purdue season and career charts in five categories in 2015, while also earning Big Ten Co-Player of the Week honors on Feb. 16 and setting a new standard for stolen bases in a game. The senior led the team in batting average (.393), RBI (48), runs (43), triples (3), home runs (11) and stolen bases (28). She reached base via hit, walk or hit by pitch in 47 of 56 games, including a 12-game hit streak. The first baseman posted multiple hits in 20 games, including three perfect days at the plate and a 4-for-4 effort against No. 7 UCLA, while driving in one game-tying RBI and seven game-winners. Burkhardt also scored one game-tying run and eight game-winners. The Fort Wayne, Ind., native drew 26 walks, including six intentional free passes, and was hit by a pitch three times. In Big Ten play, she posted a .288 average with a team-best 12 runs, 11 RBI, eight stolen bases and two home runs. Burkhardt ranks 36th nationally in sacrifice flies (4). She also ranks tied for second in the Big Ten in stolen bases, tied for fourth in sacrifice flies (4) and tied for seventh in triples. In conference play, she ranked tied for second in sacrifice flies (3) and fourth in stolen bases (8).
The senior set school record for stolen bases in a game with four against Western Michigan, March 1. She also earned five spots on the season listings, ranking tied for second in slugging percentage (.681), third in RBI (48) and fifth in batting average (.393), home runs (11), and sacrifice flies (4). Burkhardt ended her career ranked tied for fourth in sacrifice flies (8), fifth in batting average (.335) and RBI (122).
Fecho, a second team All-Big Ten selection, posted a 20-17 record with one save and a school record 295 strikeouts in 2015. She boasted a 2.02 ERA in 242.2 innings pitched and tossed a complete-game no-hitter against Indiana State and four complete-game one-hitters. The Carol Stream, Ill., native set the Purdue single game strikeouts record with 19 against Florida Gulf Coast on Feb. 20 and struck out five or more batters in 29 games including 10 or more in 14 contests. In her 43 games, including 37 starts, Fecho held foes to a .196 batting average.
The junior ranks ninth nationally in strikeouts (295), 30th in strikeouts per seven innings (8.5), 35th in hits allowed per seven innings (5.02), 41st in wins (20) and 43rd in ERA (2.02). Among Big Ten players, Fecho ranks first in looking strikeouts (71), second in strikeouts and innings pitched, third in opponent batting average and fourth in ERA and wins. In Big Ten play, she ranked first in innings pitched (105), third in looking strikeouts (29) and strikeouts (115), fourth in opponent batting average (.221) and fifth in ERA (2.53).
In addition to setting the season record for strikeouts, Fecho also ranked fifth on the Purdue season list for innings pitched (242.2). She also has moved up the Purdue career pitching listings, ranking third in complete games (63) and strikeouts (598) and fourth in innings pitched (622).
Fecho and Burkhardt are now eligible for NFCA All-America honors, which will be announced at approximately 5 p.m. EDT on Wednesday, May 27, via NFCA.org.
All-Region awards honor softball student-athletes from the Association's 10 regions with first, second and third teams selected for each region. The all-region teams were voted on by NFCA member coaches from each respective region. Honorees are then eligible for selection to one of three 2015 NFCA Division I All-American teams.
| 2015 NFCA All-Midwest Region Teams | ||
|---|---|---|
| First Team | ||
| P | Krista Menke | North Dakota State |
| P | Lilly Fecho | Purdue |
| C | Steph Pasquale | Nebraska |
| 1B | Ashley Burkhardt | Purdue |
| 2B | Cheyenne Garcia | North Dakota State |
| SS | Megan Blank | Iowa |
| 3B | MJ Knighten | Nebraska |
| OF | Kiki Stokes | Nebraska |
| OF | Brittany Gomez | Iowa State |
| OF | Shelby Davis | Oklahoma State |
| UT/P | Cassi McClure | Nebraska |
| DP/UT | Brittany Fortner | Wichita State |
| Second Team | ||
| P | Alicia Pille | Kansas |
| P | Nicole Newman | Drake |
| C | Allie Daly | South Dakota |
| 1B | Maddie Stein | Kansas |
| 2B | Allie Bauch | Illinois |
| SS | Logan Moreland | North Dakota State |
| 3B | Amanda Grable | North Dakota State |
| OF | Caitlin Conrad | Ohio State |
| OF | Kaitlyn Ranieri | Valparaiso |
| OF | Rebecca Blitz | Indiana |
| UT/P | Chelsea Jones | Missouri State |
| DP/UT | Erika Leonard | Ohio State |
| Third Team | ||
| P | Erin Struemph | Missouri State |
| P | Rebecca Schmidt | Drake |
| C | Alyssa Reina | North Dakota State |
| 1B | Yvon Minogue | South Dakota |
| 2B | Corey Schwartz | Maryland |
| SS | Chaley Brickey | Kansas |
| SS* | Cynthia Woodard | Cleveland State |
| 3B | Tiffany Mikkelson | Oklahoma State |
| OF | Briana Evans | Kansas |
| OF | Erika Valasquez Zimmer | Missouri State |
| OF | Erin Pronobis | Maryland |
| DP/UT | Daniella Chavez | Kansas |