Starkville, Miss. – As a part of the National Fastpitch Coaches Association’s annual Division III All-Region awards released on Monday, May 14, three Gustavus Adolphus softball players were named to the All-Midwest Region Team as at-large selections. Senior second baseman Lisa Klass (Richfield, Minn.) earned a spot on the first team, while first-year pitcher Sarah Rozell (Lakeville, Minn.) garnered second team honors, and Kate Rentschler (Lakefield, Minn.) garnered third team status.
A total of 77 teams placed at least one student-athlete on the first-team all region squad, which makes those players eligible for All-American. Klass, Rozell, and Rentschler are three of 12 total representatives from the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) on the first, second, and third All-Midwest Teams. Lisa Klass and Kimmy Hassel of St. Thomas are eligible for All-American voting after receiving first-team honors.
Senior second baseman Lisa Klass makes her fourth and final appearance on the All-Midwest Region Team after another outstanding season as a staple in Head Coach Jeff Annis’ infield. Klass followed up an All-Region third-team rookie year with back-to-back second-team seasons her sophomore and junior campaigns.
The three-time All-Conference performer led the Gusties with career marks in batting average (.393), slugging percentage (.664), hits (55), doubles (17), and total bases (93) this season. Klass finished 10th in the MIAC in batting average, while leading the league in doubles, ranking second in runs, and third in hits.
A four-year letterwinner logging 175 career starts (she started in every one game but one, missing one start her freshman year due to a sprained ankle), Klass hit .387 in her tenure in a Gustavus uniform. With a league/career-high 17 doubles this season, Klass became the program’s “Doubles Queen” with a total of 48 over her career. The Richfield, Minn. product also holds the school record in at-bats with 511, while ranking third in career slugging percentage (.614) and runs (148).
After a superb season both on the hill and at the plate, first-year Sarah Rozell brings home All-Region honors for the first time in her career. Making a total of 29 appearances and 22 starts during her debut season for the Gusties, Rozell went 17-4 overall with an ERA of 1.76. She struck out a total of 112 batters in 147 innings, finishing the season with an opponent batting average of .242.
To go along with her stats on the rubber, Rozell proved to be a valuable bat in the Gustavus lineup as well. Sarah hit .317 (26-82) with 18 RBI and six runs. The frosh pitcher also finished the season with a team-best .405 (15-37) average with runners in scoring position.
Rounding out the group is junior hurler Kate Rentschler, who also provided the Gusties with a solid season both on the hill and at the plate. Rentschler was the tone-setter for the one-two Gustavus pitching punch this season. The junior from Lakefield, Minn. finished the year with a record of 17-4 and an ERA of 1.98. She struck out 85 hitters in 138 innings, holding her opponents to a .230 batting average on the year.
At the plate, Rentschler ranked fifth on the team with a batting average of .329 (24-73). Kate knocked out a team-high six home runs and recorded 19 RBI to finish with a slugging percentage of .603.
The Division III national championship begins this Friday in Salem, Virginia, and NFCA Division III All-Americans will be announced Thursday at the NCAA championship banquet.