Peach Belt Announces Softball All-Conference Team

The Peach Belt Conference announced the 2007 softball All-Conference team at a banquet on Friday night in Auguta, Ga., site of the 2007 Tournament. For the third time in conference history, the PBC awarded co-Players of the Year as USC Aiken’s Jessica Strickland and USC Upstate’s Vanesa Flores shared the league’s highest award. Columbus State’s Amber Browning was named the Pitcher of the Year whlie teammate Brittany Leverett was named the Freshman of the Year and the head coach, Tiffany Tootle, was named the Coach of the Year.

Strickland becomes the first Lady Pacer to ever be named a PBC Player of the Year. A sophomore catcher from North Charleston, S.C., she set the USCA career homerun record in only her second year with 19 total, 16 coming this season. She was ranked second in the PBC in home runs and third in RBIs with 55.

The PBC home run leader is Vanesa Flores. A junior from Chino, Calif., Flores hit 19 bombs this year, just one shy of the PBC single-season record for home runs. She also led the PBC with 65 RBIs and was second with a .768 slugging percentage. She becomes the first Upstate player to receive Player of the Year honors since Tracy Goad in 1994.

Amber Browning was undefeated at 21-0 this season on the rubber for Columbus State. The senior from Columbus, Ga., led the PBC with an 0.56 ERA and was third with 218 strikeouts in 149 innings pitched. She pitched 13 shutouts and has three no-hitters in 2007. She is the first Lady Cougar to ever win the PBC Pitcher of the Year award.

Brittany Leverett hit .394 in her first season with Columbus State. A true freshman from Appling, Ga., she is tied for sixth in the PBC in RBIs with 49 and is also sixth with 50 runs scored. She also cranked out nine home runs and nine doubles and struck out only 10 times in 137 at-bats this season.

Tiffany Tootle earns her first Coach of the Year award in her eighth season at Columbus State. In 2007, she led the Lady Cougars to their second straight PBC Championship, a #2 national ranking and a 29-game winning streak heading into the PBC Tournament. CSU’s 44 wins set a single-season school record and the team will be trying to win their third straight PBC Tournament.

2007 Peach Belt Conference Softball All-Conference Team

Catchers
Amber Lanier, Columbus State
Jessica Strickland, USC Aiken

At-Large Players
Amber Patterson, USC Upstate
Shay Slater, USC Upstate
Allie Aleman, Francis Marion
Keidra Baitey, GCSU
Emily Jeffery, USC Upstate
Ashley Bain, Armstrong Atlantic State
Natalie Vogler, Armstrong Atlantic State
Jelena Shaw, UNC Pembroke
Leslee Smith, North Georgia
Andrea Moss, North Georgia

Pitchers
Amber Browning, Columbus State
Amy Dumas, Augusta State
Mandy Chandler, GCSU

Position Players
Brittany Leverett, Columbus State
Vanesa Flores, USC Upstate
Heidi Gibbs, USC Upstate
Erin Brown, Columbus State
Whitney Propes, North Georgia
Tori Richter, Armstrong Atlantic State
Paige Phillips, Augusta State
Page Raynor, North Georgia

Co-Players of the Year: Jessica Strickland, USC Aiken Vanesa Flores, USC Upstate
Pitcher of the Year: Amber Browning, Columbus State
Freshman of the Year: Brittany Leverett, Columbus State
Coach of the Year: Tiffany Tootle, Columbus State