Quartet of Eagles Named to All-Region Softball Team
May 13, 2003

Four Ashland University softball players have been named to the 2003 Great Lakes Region All-Star Team. Three AU players were named to the all-region first team and another secured a spot on the second team.

Junior pitcher Josie Nelson, sophomore catcher Mandy Sansbury and senior designated player Ann Dunmire are members of the region’s first team. Sophomore third baseman Sara Mathes is a second team selection.

Nelson tied the AU single-season record for victories by going 26-9. She also set school single-season records for strikeouts (370), shutouts (14) and innings pitched (236) in 2003. Nelson has 930 strikeouts in her career and that puts her on top of the AU career list. She has 64 wins in her career, second all-time at AU.

The AU hurler also received notice last week that she’s a member of the Verizon Academic All-District Second Team. Nelson has a 3.473 grade point average. She’s a recreation/sports industry major.

Sansbury led the Eagles in homers (7), RBI (36) and slugging percentage. She was second on the team in batting average (.343) and doubles (15). A catcher-outfielder, this was her second season as a member of the starting lineup.

Dunmire hit .287 with three homers and 22 RBI. This was her second season at AU. She earned a reputation as one of AU’s best clutch hitters.

Mathes hit .310 with a pair of homers and 33 RBI. That RBI total was second on the team. She led the Eagles with 18 doubles.

The Eagles finished the year by placing third at the NCAA Division II Great Lakes Regional Tournament. AU went 40-18, 12-6 in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. This was the second consecutive season the Eagles advanced to the NCAA playoffs.