Kristin Kunz
Joyce DeWitz
Julie Mahre
The Gustavus softball team had three players named to the all-tournament team after last weekend’s MIAC Post-season tournament. Those players were first-year infielder Julie Mahre (White Bear Lake, Minn.), sophomore pitcher Joyce DeWitz (Good Thunder, Minn.), and junior outfielder Kristin Kunz (Esko, Minn.). The Gusties finished the season at 27-16 overall, third place in the MIAC, and third place at the conference tournament on May 6-7. Gustavus went 1-2 in the league tournament losing twice to Saint Mary’s (3-0, 1-0) and winning once against Hamline (3-1).
Julie Mahre led the Gusties in hitting with a tournament total of 5-for-8 from the plate and scored one of their three runs. Mahre has provided a spark for Gustavus offensively in just her first year on the team. She led the team in stolen bases (10), on-base percentage (.478), batting average (.441), slugging percentage (.598), total bases (76), hits (56), and runs (27). She also contributed in the infield with a .978 fielding percentage.
Joyce DeWitz was a workhorse at the mound for the Gusties this season, pitching 195.1 innings. She went 1-2 at the conference tournament, including 19 innings pitched, 14 strikeouts, and 10 walks. DeWitz led the team in pitching this season with a 1.29 earned run average and finished the season with a 20-11 overall record. She pitched 20 complete games, averaged 5.2 innings per appearance, and averaged a strikeout each inning. DeWitz broke five Gustavus school records and tied an existing milestone. She now leads in most appearances in a season (34), most games started (31), most innings pitched (195.1), most strikeouts (196), and most shutouts (10). She also tied Laura LeVander (1994) for most wins in a single season with 20.
Kristin Kunz turned in a solid performance in right field for the Gusties making two particularly fine plays in the 3-1 win over Hamline that allowed the team to advance to the semifinals against St. Mary’s. A starter in all 34 games in the outfield this season, Kunz has compiled a .967 fielding percentage with 27 putouts, 2 assists, and 1 error in 30 chances.