WINONA, Minn. — On the field, the season hasn't even come to a close yet.
 
In fact, the Saint Mary's University fastpitch softball team is in the midst of battling for a regional title, going 1-1 in its first two games at the Greencastle Regional.
 
Off the field, however, the awards season is also getting underway — and Makayla Steffes (Winona, Minn.) and Peyton Berg (Chatfield, Minn.) kicked things off in grand style.
 
Steffes, who has turned more than a few heads in her freshman campaign with the Cardinals, was named to the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) All-Region IX First-Team, while Berg was selected to the All-Region IX Second-Team.
 first-team All-Region IX
 
Steffes, who was instrumental in the Cardinals' run to their first NCAA Regional appearance since 2005, entered NCAA play having posted a team- and conference-leading .451 batting average in SMU's 40 overall games. The freshman also led the team in at-bats (133), runs (44), hits (60), doubles (10), triples (3), and stolen bases (20). Owner of one of the team's two four-hit games this seasons, Steffes headed to regional play collecting at least one hit in 34 of SMU's 40 games, and led the team with 17 multiple-hit games, followed by Berg with 13 and McGinnis with 11.
 
And that was just half the story, as Steffes also dominated in the circle, finishing her first year in an SMU uniform with a 17-4 record and 2.29 ERA, while throwing 131 2/3 innings. She posted 14 complete games in 19 starts, racked up two shutouts and a team-leading four saves, while striking out 82 and limiting opponents to a .250 batting average.
 
Berg proved to be another offensive weapon in coach John Tschida's arsenal, recording a .402 batting average — posting 47 hits in 117 at-bats — while collecting eight doubles and a team-leading eight home runs. Berg delivered a team-best 36 RBIs and also led the squad with a .675 slugging percentage. The sophomore shared the team lead with nine multiple-RBI games and headed into the NCAA Tournament riding a nine-game hitting streak.
 
Steffes was one of three players from the MIAC named to the NFCA All-Region IX First-Team, being joined by Kayla Simacek of Bethel and Saint Benedict's Oliva Tautges, while Berg was one of two conference players on the Second-Team, with Hamline's Jenna Rubbelke the other.