Softball Trio Garner All-Conference Honors
May 06, 2015 | Softball
CHARLOTTE, N.C.- Gardner-Webb seniors Kellie Beres and Savannah Burns as well as freshman Rachel Cumiskey garnered All-Big South Honors, announced the conference office Wednesday morning.
Beres was named First-Team All-Conference, Cumiskey earned Second-Team accolades, as well as being named to the All-Freshman team, while Burns was honored for her dedication in the classroom, being named to the All-Academic team.
Beres, a senior outfielder, put together her best season as a Runnin' Bulldogs setting career-bests in hits (66), triples (17), walks (13), as well as on-base percentage (.449) and she ended the regular-season with a .405 batting average, which ranked second in the conference.
During the 2015 season, Beres put together a 21 game hitting streak, and reached base safely in an incredible 27 straight games. The native of Greeneville, N.C. has utilized her speed to the team's advantage totaling 13 stolen bases during her senior campaign and 45 steals for her career.
Cumiskey enjoyed a stellar freshman season, belting eight home runs, and ranked ninth in the conference and led the team with 35 RBI. The eight home runs for Cumiskey were the second most by a Gardner-Webb freshman in the division I era (2000-Pres).
The native of Chesterfielder, Va. started every game but one during her first season as a Runnin' Bulldog, ranking second on the team with a .333 batting average and also contributed offensively, scoring 26 runs.
The All-Freshman team nod, marks the second straight year a Gardner-Webb player was named to the All-Freshman team, as Megan Gibbons garnered the honors in 2014.
Burns, no stranger to academic awards, concludes her senior season with a nod on the All-Academic team. The academic honors mark the second time in her career, Burns has been honored by the conference for her accomplishments in the classroom. The senior shortstop is majoring in business administration and posts an impressive 3.93 cuummlative GPA.
During her senior season, Burns battled a shoulder injury, but has persevered to play in all 47 games, and for her career has started in 196 games for the Runnin' Bulldogs.
Gardner-Webb earned the no. 9 seed in the 2015 Big South Conference softball tournament and will face the no. 8 seed Radford in a single elimination game Thursday morning at 9:00 a.m. The winner will face top seeded Longwood, Thursday at 2:30 p.m.
