Rochester, Mich. - Oakland softball players
Ericka Burns (Clinton, Ont.) and
Nicole Marzano (McHenry, Ill.) were just recently recognized by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association as All-Region honorees for the 2003 season. Both players played an intrical role in the Golden Grizzlies successful season where the team won its second consecutive Mid-Con Tournament title, took a game at the NCAA Regional Championships and finished with a record of 34-26-1. Third baseman Burns led the team and Mid-Con in all offensive categories posting a .426 batting average. She had 60 hits, 29 runs, nine doubles, five triples, 24 RBIs and fired six home runs throughout the season. Her best performance came against conference foe IUPUI (4/27/3) where she went 3-4 scoring twice and bringing in two. Burns also came up big in one of two final games in the Mid-Con Conference Tournament against UMKC, where she went 3-3 hitting a triple to bring in two and scoring once herself. She also hit a homerun in the NCAA Regionals against Western Michigan where she went 2-3 with one RBI and scoring twice. For her performances, Burns was tabbed Mid-Con's Player of the Year, was named first team All-Mid-Con, Mid-Con Tournament MVP, and named to the Mid-Con's All-Tournament Team. She was also named to the 2003 Verizon Academic All-District IV Softball University's Second Division Team and to the Mid-Con's Winter/Spring Academic All-Conference Team. Left-handed pitcher Marzano led Oakland with a 1.30 ERA in 129.1 innings pitched. She recorded her third career no-hitter against Bowling Green on April 22 and was named Mid-Con Pitcher of the Year, first team All-Mid-Con and to the Mid-Con's All-Tournament team. Throughout the season, she posted a Mid-Con best 12-5 win-loss record. She struckout a season best 13 batters against Valparaiso (5/2/3) on her way to leading the Golden Grizzlies to an 8-1 victory. At the plate, Marzano posted a .200 batting average with two hits, two runs, and one RBI. She was also named to the Mid-Con's Winter/Spring Academic All-Conference Team.
