Three Rivers’ Summer Shockley earned NJCAA National Pitcher of the Week honors for April 16-22, and was named the Region XVI Player of the year while four of her teammates made the AllRegion team, as well. “It is pretty awesome,” Shockley said. “Whenever all your hard work comes into play and to be able to see that and know that it is not just me but my team has my back too, because if I didn’t have defense I wouldn’t have anything.” Shockley earned the honor after pitching 34 2/3 innings with a 1.00 ERA, 62 strikeouts, a 5-0 record and a save. She picked up big wins against Region XVI opponents State Fair, St. Charles, and three wins against conference foe Mineral Area. Shockley capped the big week by pitching seven innings in each game of a doubleheader against Mineral Area. She won both and allowed three total hits with 24 strikeouts on the day. After the heavy workload, Shockley didn’t pitch on April 22 in a doubleheader against St. Charles, which would have contributed to her stats for the week.
The Van Buren alumna is 22-6 for the season with two saves, a 1.86 ERA and 235 strikeouts over 172 2/3 innings. Shockley got the good news from her coach Jeff Null when she stopped by the Three Rivers clubhouse for an optional practice Wednesday, and said her mom would probably be more excited than she was. “I don’t even know. She is probably going to cry and scream and call me about 2 million times,” Shockley said of her mom. “She is my No. 1 supporter and I know she is really proud of me no matter what I do. It is really nice to have that. “She’s really into everything me and, me and my sister (who plays for Van Buren High School), she always tries to do as much as she can for us. She loves being involved with the team and always interacting with us.” Added Three Rivers shortstop Kristyn Carpenter, “And she makes delicious treats.” Shockley was also named Region XVI Player of the Year and was one of five Lady Raiders to make the All-Region team. Carpenter, Randi Scruggs, Gracie King and Allison Pingel were her fellow All-Region selections. The four, in that order, have represented the first four in the batting order all season. Scruggs is hitting .412 in the leadoff sport with 45 stolen bases and six triples. She is two triples shy of tying the single season and career records. She has only been caught stealing once. Carpenter has mixed speed with power in the No. 2 spot and is hitting .402. She’s stolen 33 bases and hit eight home runs, tied for second on the team. She .644 slugging percentage is also second on the team. King has hit five home runs and 10 doubles and is hitting .390 with a .471 on base percentage and five home runs. Pingel, the clean-up hitter, has 18 home runs, 74 RBIs, and leads the team with a .470 batting average and a .884 slugging percentage. Pingel has broken the Three Rivers single-season home run and RBI records, is on pace to break the slugging percentage record, and the freshman is just four home runs away from the career home run record. The four have played in every game been as good defensively as they have been offensively. Scruggs hasn’t made an error all season in center fi eld while King and Pingel have each made one at catcher and first base, respectively. Carpenter, at shortstop, has an .894 fielding percentage with 75 assists and 68 putouts. Shockley has been involved in 102 outs as a pitcher and part-time infielder and has a .864 fielding percentage.
Scott Borkgren - Daily American Republic