Scaglione And Others Claim Big 12 Hardware

OKLAHOMA CITY - The Big 12 Conference announced the softball postseason awards on Wednesday afternoon and five Sooners were recognized by the league's coaches.

Topping the list of Sooners is Heather Scaglione, who was named Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year and also earned All-Big 12 First Team recognition as a catcher. Joining the junior on the All-Big 12 First Team was Christina Enea at first base and Kristin Vesely as an at-large selection. Junior pitcher Kami Keiter and sophomore outfielder Mariee Mena were named to the All-Big 12 Second Team.

“When I look at her stats compared to others in the Big 12, she was so far ahead of everyone across the board that it was really a no brainer,” said OU head coach Patty Gasso about Scaglione. “She is extremely deserving of this award. When you think about building a program and what you generally center that around, usually you start in the (pitcher's) circle. This year Heather has become our leader and some one that we have built our team around.”

Scaglione won seven conference offensive titles. She topped all conference players in batting average (.455), home runs (6), RBI (15), total bases (40), on-base percentage (.597), slugging percentage (.909) and walks (16). Scaglione has also been dominant behind the plate. She has thrown out a 12 of 19 attempted base stealers while only allowing three passed balls this season.

Scaglione is the inaugural winner of the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year honor. It also marks the third time in her career that she has been named to the All-Big 12 team after being named as a second team catcher in 2002 and 2003.

Christina Enea earned first team honors for the second time in her career after earning the recognition as a freshman in 2002. Enea had the fifth best batting average in conference at .349 while slugging at a .419 clip and reaching base at a .451 rate. The junior from California was also stellar at first base where she had a .992 fielding percentage and committed just one error.

Complete List Of All-Big 12 Teams

Vesely, who garnered second team honors in 2003, was named to the first team for her work in center field and as the Sooners' leadoff hitter. She hit .316 during conference action and really picked up the pace during the second half of the Big 12 season, when she hit .342.

Junior Kami Keiter has now made the second team twice (2002 as well) and the first team (2003) once. She led the Big 12 in innings pitched (111), appearances (18), games started (17) while tying with Big 12 Pitcher of the Year Peaches James for the lead in complete games (15).

Sophomore Mariee Mena is the Sooner's only first time honoree. After serving as a role player in 2003, Mena flourished during the 2004 Big 12 season. She hit .333 during league play, which was the third on the Sooner squad.

“Mariee turned up her level of play during the Big 12 portion of the schedule,” said Gasso. “Her batting average was very impressive and the Big 12 coaches recognized her efforts.”

Texas A&M outfielder Sharonda McDonald was named Big 12 Freshman of the Year, while Big 12 Coach of the Year went to Jo Evans of Texas A&M.

The No. 21 Oklahoma softball team will open the Big 12 Tournament as the No. 5 seed and will face No. 4-seed Baylor at 10 a.m. on Thursday at the Don E. Porter ASA Hall of Fame Stadium in Oklahoma City. Play begins in the conference tourney on Wednesday with the survivor's of the elimination games facing the top two seeds, Nebraska (1) and Texas A&M (2).

University of Oklahoma Athletics

Scaglione And Others Claim Big 12 Hardware

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