Bowling Green State University Athletics
Falcon softball standouts Aspen Searle (left), Laine Simmons (center) & Alex Sorgi
Searle, Simmons and Sorgi Take Home Awards at Softball Banquet
May 07, 2018 | Softball
Seniors Aspen Searle and Laine Simmons and junior Alex Sorgi each won awards as the Bowling Green State University softball program held its 2018 banquet on Sunday (May 6) at Stone Ridge Golf Club.
Searle was named the Falcons' Offensive Player of the Year for the second-straight season, while Simmons was voted the team's Defensive Player of the Year. Sorgi took home the Meserve Award.
Searle, a native of Brantford, Ontario (Bishop Tonnos), led the Falcons with a .374 batting average -- the fourth-highest single-season average in program history -- and she also paced the 2018 Falcons in hits (65), doubles (15), triples (three), total bases (104), slugging percentage (.598) and on-base pct. (.414). She started all 52 of the Falcons' games at shortstop, and her team-leading total of 16 multiple-hit games included three four-hit contests. Searle finished her BGSU career ranked second in school history in at-bats (722), hits (241), doubles (49) and total bases (379), and she is ranked sixth or higher in no fewer than 11 BGSU career categories. In late April, she was honored as BGSU's female recipient of the Falcon Medal of Honor, the highest honor awarded to a BG student-athlete, at the athletic department's end-of-year awards ceremony, The Ziggys.
Simmons, who hails from Suwanee, Ga. (Collins Hill), played in 42 games this season, starting 41. She hit .287 on the year and tied Searle for third on the team with six homers. The catcher had a .983 fielding pct., with just four errors in 236 total chances. Simmons skillfully guided the Falcon pitching staff, and threw out a double-digit total of would-be base-stealers for the second consecutive year. The Morehead State University transfer gunned down 10 of 26 opponents attempting to steal against her. In MAC play, Simmons tied for the team lead with a .315 batting average, and she led the Falcons in homers and tied for the BG lead with a .537 slugging pct. She sent nearly half of aspiring opponent base-stealers back to their dugout in conference action. Her total of six homers on the year included two round-trippers that each broke a 3-3 tie on back-to-back days during BG's trip to Nashville, as well as a first-inning grand slam in a win at Akron. She played in 86 games, starting 81, during her two years with the Falcons.
The Meserve Award is presented to the BGSU softball student-athlete who demonstrated the following qualities throughout the season: passion, leadership, competitive spirit, 'teamsmanship,' athletic and academic excellence, and resiliency. The award is named after Dr. Lee Meserve, BGSU's former Faculty Athletics Representative, and his wife, Marge. The Falcons' home field also bears their name.
Sorgi, a native of Shelby Township, Mich. (Henry Ford II), started all 52 of BGSU's games in center field, hit .322 on the year, and tied Searle for the BG lead with 33 runs scored. She was second on the club with 56 hits, and became just the third Falcon in school history to steal 20 bases in a season. Sorgi had 15 multiple-hit games on the year, and in MAC play she led the Falcons in at-bats, runs, hits and stolen bases. With one year remaining in her BGSU career, she already ranks third in school history with 43 career steals, and she is also on the BG career lists for batting average (.310, 12th) and runs (83, T-15th).
In addition to announcing the team awards on Sunday, head coach Sarah Willis and assistant coaches Katie Reiff and Lauren Gambone also recognized the 2018 senior class, presenting the three seniors in the program with framed jerseys. That trio includes Searle, Simmons and Alivia Forshey.
All three members of the senior class have a cumulative grade-point average of 3.68 or higher and have been named an Easton/NFCA All-America Scholar Athlete at least once so far in their respective collegiate careers. And, Forshey, Searle and Simmons each have been inducted into Chi Alpha Sigma, the National College Athlete Honor Society.
The Falcons finished the season with an overall record of 26-26, and BGSU finished fourth in the MAC's East Division with a league mark of 8-14. The Falcons' 22-player roster includes 19 student-athletes with at least one more year of eligibility remaining.
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Searle was named the Falcons' Offensive Player of the Year for the second-straight season, while Simmons was voted the team's Defensive Player of the Year. Sorgi took home the Meserve Award.
Searle, a native of Brantford, Ontario (Bishop Tonnos), led the Falcons with a .374 batting average -- the fourth-highest single-season average in program history -- and she also paced the 2018 Falcons in hits (65), doubles (15), triples (three), total bases (104), slugging percentage (.598) and on-base pct. (.414). She started all 52 of the Falcons' games at shortstop, and her team-leading total of 16 multiple-hit games included three four-hit contests. Searle finished her BGSU career ranked second in school history in at-bats (722), hits (241), doubles (49) and total bases (379), and she is ranked sixth or higher in no fewer than 11 BGSU career categories. In late April, she was honored as BGSU's female recipient of the Falcon Medal of Honor, the highest honor awarded to a BG student-athlete, at the athletic department's end-of-year awards ceremony, The Ziggys.
Simmons, who hails from Suwanee, Ga. (Collins Hill), played in 42 games this season, starting 41. She hit .287 on the year and tied Searle for third on the team with six homers. The catcher had a .983 fielding pct., with just four errors in 236 total chances. Simmons skillfully guided the Falcon pitching staff, and threw out a double-digit total of would-be base-stealers for the second consecutive year. The Morehead State University transfer gunned down 10 of 26 opponents attempting to steal against her. In MAC play, Simmons tied for the team lead with a .315 batting average, and she led the Falcons in homers and tied for the BG lead with a .537 slugging pct. She sent nearly half of aspiring opponent base-stealers back to their dugout in conference action. Her total of six homers on the year included two round-trippers that each broke a 3-3 tie on back-to-back days during BG's trip to Nashville, as well as a first-inning grand slam in a win at Akron. She played in 86 games, starting 81, during her two years with the Falcons.
The Meserve Award is presented to the BGSU softball student-athlete who demonstrated the following qualities throughout the season: passion, leadership, competitive spirit, 'teamsmanship,' athletic and academic excellence, and resiliency. The award is named after Dr. Lee Meserve, BGSU's former Faculty Athletics Representative, and his wife, Marge. The Falcons' home field also bears their name.
Sorgi, a native of Shelby Township, Mich. (Henry Ford II), started all 52 of BGSU's games in center field, hit .322 on the year, and tied Searle for the BG lead with 33 runs scored. She was second on the club with 56 hits, and became just the third Falcon in school history to steal 20 bases in a season. Sorgi had 15 multiple-hit games on the year, and in MAC play she led the Falcons in at-bats, runs, hits and stolen bases. With one year remaining in her BGSU career, she already ranks third in school history with 43 career steals, and she is also on the BG career lists for batting average (.310, 12th) and runs (83, T-15th).
In addition to announcing the team awards on Sunday, head coach Sarah Willis and assistant coaches Katie Reiff and Lauren Gambone also recognized the 2018 senior class, presenting the three seniors in the program with framed jerseys. That trio includes Searle, Simmons and Alivia Forshey.
All three members of the senior class have a cumulative grade-point average of 3.68 or higher and have been named an Easton/NFCA All-America Scholar Athlete at least once so far in their respective collegiate careers. And, Forshey, Searle and Simmons each have been inducted into Chi Alpha Sigma, the National College Athlete Honor Society.
The Falcons finished the season with an overall record of 26-26, and BGSU finished fourth in the MAC's East Division with a league mark of 8-14. The Falcons' 22-player roster includes 19 student-athletes with at least one more year of eligibility remaining.
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