Megan Perron Named First-Team All-West Region, Chloe Amarilla, Maddie Valdez Named to Second Team
CLAREMONT, Calif. - Sophomore designated player Megan Perron was named to the National Fastpitch Coaches Association All-West Region First Team for Claremont-Mudd-Scripps softball, while senior utility Chloe Amarilla and sophomore catcher Maddie Valdez were each named to the second team, the NFCA announced this afternoon.
By earning All-Region honors, Perron, Amarilla and Valdez are now eligible for NFCA All-America honors, which will be announced next week before the NCAA Division III Softball Championships in Tyler, Texas.
Perron had a breakthrough season for the Athenas this year, leading the team with a .442 batting average, to go along with 16 doubles, three triples, three homers and 42 RBI. After an injury-plagued freshman season, she wasn't in the opening day starting line-up against Whitworth, but hit 2-for-4 in the nightcap, had a pinch hit against Vanguard in the third game of the year, and never came out of the lineup again. Her season included a 3-for-5 effort against No. 2 Williams with a triple and a home run as the Athenas swept.
Amarilla, who was a third-team NFCA All-America selection last year, concluded her career with a .381 batting average this spring, with nine doubles, two triples, six homers, 49 runs scored and 27 RBI from her leadoff position. She also stole 13 bases without being caught and had a 10-7 record in the pitching circle, before being lost for the postseason with an injury suffered in the SCIAC Tournament. She also had a big day against Williams, hitting 5-for-7 with six runs scored in a doubleheader, and also batted 3-for-5 against nationally ranked Ithaca.
Valdez matched Amarilla with a .381 batting average and set a single-season school record with 12 home runs, the last of which came against No. 5 Linfield in the NCAA Regionals, after which she earned a spot on the All-Tournament team. She also had 10 doubles and two triples to finish the year with a team-high .754 slugging percentage, and had a 7-RBI performance with two homers in an 11-4 win over Redlands on March 29.
The trio led CMS to a 31-13 final record this year, including a 24-4 mark in the SCIAC which is a program record for league wins, matching the mark set in 2016. The Athenas also climbed as high as No. 5 in the country in the NFCA weekly poll, passing the 2016 team (No. 7) for the highest ranking in school history.
To view the complete NFCA All-Region teams go to the following link:
NFCA All-Region