Megan Baltzell

Megan Baltzell (born November 24, 1993) is an American, former collegiate All-American, left-handed hitting softball catcher originally from Stafford, Virginia. She played her college career at Longwood University from 2012-2015 and set various school records. She is the Big South career leader in slugging percentage, walks and runs in only three seasons. She is also one of eight NCAA Division I players to hit a career .400 with 200 RBIs, 50 home runs and an .800% slugging percentage.

Longwood University

Baltzell graduated from Mountain View High School where she played softball, basketball and volleyball. She began her Longwood Lancers career by tying the school season record for walks and leading the team in eight offensive categories as a freshman.[1] In her debut on February 11, 2012, Baltzell went (3/5) with a solo home run to score the winning run over the Western Carolina Catamounts.[2] The Lancers spent that year as an Independent before joining the Big South.

Baltzell was named a 2013 National Fastpitch Coaches Association Second Team All-American to accompany First Team All-Big South conference honors.[3][4] Baltzell was the first in school history to merit the NFCA honor as she broke and set surviving school records with career best in RBIs and home runs; both led and were the top conference season records, of which the home run mark still lasts. Her season hits, slugging (conference best), walks (Longwood season best) and runs still all rank top-5 at the school. Finally, Baltzell led the Nation with her homers and ranked top-5 in slugging.[5] On March 5, Baltzell stole a career high three stolen bases vs. the Winthrop Eagles.[6]

For a second year, Baltzell earned conference First Team honors and added a "Player of The Year" distinction.[7][8] She broke her own record for walks, in addition her average (career best), slugging and doubles remain top-5 season records. In the conference, Baltzell too set the walks mark and led for the year in average, slugging and on base percentage.[5]

On March 1, 2014, Baltzell achieved a career high 4 hits vs. the Indiana Hoosiers, she would go on to match it again later that year.[9] March 15-April 12, the Lancer batted to a 21 consecutive game hit streak. She hit .547 (35/64) with 25 RBIs, 4 homers, a triple, 8 doubles, 10 walks, 7 steals and slugging .890%, with just two strikeouts over the span. The streak is a top-5 school record.

For a final year, Baltzell earned First Team honors from the conference and was again recognized "Player of The Year."[10][11] She was later named Big South Female Athlete of The Year.[12][13] She broke and set school records in slugging and walks (both career highs and the conference benchmarks), the RBI, home runs, on base percentage, runs and stolen bases were top-5 all-time for a Lancer season. Baltzell led the conference in and ranked top-5 in all the same categories for the NCAA, excluding steals.[5]

On opening day, February 6, 2015, she hit her 50th career home run off Tara Tursellino of the Delaware State Hornets.[14] Later on April 4, she would collect her 200th career RBI vs. the Campbell Fighting Camels; connecting for a game-winning, three-run homer to do it.[15] Baltzell set personal single game records in RBIs when she brought in 7 vs. Gardner-Webb Runnin' Bulldogs on May 7 by swatting two home runs, a grand slam among them; the next day walking 4 times in a game with the Charleston Southern Buccaneers, Baltzell won the game scoring on a wild pitch.[16][17] The Lancers made the NCAA tournament and were able to win a game, their first, but were eliminated on May 16. In her final appearance, Baltzell was one of two to get a hit when she singled in the first, losing to the Utah Utes.[18]

Baltzell completed her studies at Longwood with the career crown in RBIs, hits, home runs, doubles, slugging, walks and runs. She is top-5 in average and stolen bases. For the Big South, she counts for the seasons 2013-15, Baltzell leads in slugging (.952%), walks (141) and runs (195); she stands top-10 in average (.420), RBIs (195), home runs (67) and doubles (43).[19][20][21] In all of the NCAA, she ranks in home runs (9th), slugging percentage (5th) and with an amassed 5 grand slams (6th).[22]

Statistics

Longwood Lancers

YEAR G AB R H BA RBI HR 3B 2B TB SLG BB SO SB SBA
2012 55 161 47 56 .348 35 9 2 15 102 .633% 25 45 14 17
2013 61 187 75 76 .406 78 30 2 14 184 .984% 31 22 14 17
2014 56 154 47 69 .448 45 10 3 17 122 .792% 44 5 15 20
2015 59 137 73 56 .409 72 27 0 12 149 1.087% 66 13 24 29
TOTALS 231 639 242 257 .402 230 76 7 58 557 .871% 166 85 67 83

References

  1. ↑ "Longwood Season Statistics". Longwoodlancers.com. Retrieved 2015-06-25.
  2. ↑ "Longwood Splits At Georgia State Tournament Defeats Western Carolina 11-10, Fall To GSU 3-2". Longwoodlancers.com. 2012-02-11. Retrieved 2015-06-26.
  3. ↑ "2013 NFCA Division I All-Americans". Nfca.org. Retrieved 2016-01-06.
  4. ↑ "Big South Announces 2013 Softball Annual Awards". Bigsouthsports.com. 2013-05-09. Retrieved 2015-06-25.
  5. 1 2 3 "Softball Archived Statistics". Ncaa.org. Retrieved 2015-06-25.
  6. ↑ "Longwood Splits Decisions To Close Series At Winthrop". Longwoodlancers.com. 2013-03-06. Retrieved 2015-06-25.
  7. ↑ "Megan Baltzell Named Big South Softball Player of The Year". Longwoodlancers.com. 2014-05-06. Retrieved 2015-06-25.
  8. ↑ "Big South Announces 2014 Softball Annual Awards Winners". Bigsouthsports.com. 2014-05-06. Retrieved 2015-06-25.
  9. ↑ "Longwood Earns 7-2 Win Against Indiana on Day Two of Wildcat Invite". Longwoodlancers.com. 2014-03-01. Retrieved 2015-06-25.
  10. ↑ "Lancers Sweep Top Three Big South Honors". Longwoodlancers.com. 2015-05-06. Retrieved 2015-06-26.
  11. ↑ "Big South Announces 2015 Softball Annual Award Winners". Bigsouthsports.com. 2015-05-06. Retrieved 2015-06-25.
  12. ↑ "Big South Announces 2014-15 Athletes of The Year". Bigsouthsports.com. 2015-07-16. Retrieved 2015-07-16.
  13. ↑ "Megan Baltzell Becomes Longwood's Second Female Athlete of The Year in Three Seasons". Longwoodlancers.com. 2015-07-16. Retrieved 2015-07-16.
  14. ↑ "Lancers Split A Pair of Games To Open 2015 Slate". Longwoodlancers.com. 2015-02-06. Retrieved 2015-03-06.
  15. ↑ "Baltzell, Sweeney Slug Longwood Past Camels, 8-5". Longwoodlancers.com. 2015-04-04. Retrieved 2015-04-30.
  16. ↑ "13-Run Fourth Propels Lancers Past Gardner-Webb". Longwoodlancers.com. 2015-05-07. Retrieved 2015-06-25.
  17. ↑ "Longwood Survives, Advances To Big South Semis". Longwoodlancers.com. 2015-05-08. Retrieved 2015-06-25.
  18. ↑ "History!! Longwood Earns First NCAA Tourney Win". Longwoodlancers.com. 2015-05-16. Retrieved 2015-06-25.
  19. ↑ "Megan Baltzell". Longwoodlancers.com. Retrieved 2015-06-26.
  20. ↑ "Mountain View's Baltzell sets sights on a coaching career". Insidenova.com. 2015-05-22. Retrieved 2015-06-26.
  21. ↑ "Big South Softball 2016 Record Book" (PDF). Amazonaws.com. Retrieved 2016-01-12.
  22. ↑ "Division I Softball Records" (PDF). Ncaa.org. Retrieved 2016-01-12.

Links

External links

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