All-MIAC Fastpitch Softball Teams

WINONA, Minn. — Alex Raske's (Chicago, Ill.) playing days for the Saint Mary's University of Minnesota fastpitch softball team came to a close with a 2-for-4, two-run effort in the Cardinals' 5-4 nonconference win over fourth-ranked Luther on April 28.
 
But that career-capping 2-for-4 effort—which included a single in her final collegiate at-bat, not to mention scoring the game-winning run in the top of the seventh inning—wasn't the final chapter for Raske.
 
That came on Tuesday, when the Cardinal senior was named First-Team All-Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference for the third time in her four-year career.
 
And Raske—also an MIAC First-Teamer as a freshman and sophomore, while earning honorable-mention All-MIAC a year ago—wasn't the only Cardinal in the conference spotlight, as Ashley Betzold (Farmington, Minn.) and Stanzy Snyder (Johnston, Iowa) gave Saint Mary's three First-Team selections.
 
Bethel's Angie Jackson was named MIAC Player of the Year, while Gustavus' Sarah Rozell was MIAC Pitcher of the Year, Krista Flugstad of St. Catherine was named MIAC Rookie of the Year, and Hamline's Jim Rubbelke earned MIAC Coach of the Year honors.
 
Raske started all 22 conference games for the Cardinals, who finished 11-11 in MIAC play. The senior shortstop/catcher led Saint Mary's in virtually every offensive category, including runs (22), hits (27), doubles (4), home runs (3), total bases (42), slugging percentage (.600), walks (12), and on-base percentage (.482).
 
Sprinkle in the Cardinals' 16 nonconference games, and Raske's numbers were equally as impressive. Raske started all 38 Cardinal contests—marking the fourth straight year she has started every game—hitting .339, going 42-for-124—with eight doubles, one triple and three home runs—while scoring a team-best 33 runs. She boasted a .492 slugging percentage and .428 on-base percentage, while drawing a team-high 18 walks.
 
After being named honorable-mention All-MIAC as a freshman a year ago, Betzold earned All-MIAC First-Team honors after being the team's workhorse in the pitcher's circle—not to mention a thorn in the side of opposing pitcher's when in the batter's box.
 
Betzold was the Cardinals' starting pitcher in 19 of their 22 conference games, compiling a 10-8 record and a 3.09 ERA in 127.0 innings pitched. The sophomore right-hander collected 12 complete games and struck out 75 batters. At the plate, Betzold hit .264 (19-for-72) with three doubles, two home runs, 14 RBIs and seven runs scored.
 
Betzold—who pitched a pair of two-hitters and two three-hitters—logged 201.0 of the team's 258.2 innings this season, while also recording 20 complete games. She finished the season 14-15 with a 2.96 ERA in 34 appearances, while striking out a career-high 113 batters—including a season-best nine against Augsburg in Game 1 on April 11. At the plate, Betzold hit .260, going 32-for-123, with eight doubles and her first three collegiate home runs, while recording 20 RBIs and scoring 12 times.
 
Snyder turned more than her fair share of heads around the conference during her inaugural campaign this season. The freshman outfielder, who, like Raske and Betzold, started all 22 conference games, shared the team lead in doubles (4), and was second to Raske in batting average (.377), hits (26), runs (12), walks (9), slugging percentage (.478) and on-base percentage (.463).
 
And it wasn't just conference pitching that Snyder feasted on, finishing with a team-leading .356 batting average, while also boasting team-highs in doubles (9), slugging percentage (.500), walks (17) and on-base percentage (.454) in the Cardinals' 38 games this season.
 
As part of the conference-wide sportsmanship initiative, the MIAC also announced the eighth annual All-MIAC Sportsmanship team for fastpitch softball, which included Saint Mary's Katie Krull (Rochester, Minn.).