By Nicholas Huenefeld/Owens Sports Information
Toledo, Ohio---Ashley Guthrie, a 5'6" infielder from Milan (Ind.) High School, has signed with the Owens Community College softball program.
The Versailles, Ind. native will become the first softball student-athlete at Owens from the state of Indiana.
"Ashley is a great kid and athlete," said Owens Community College softball head coach Marcus Smith. "She will help us with her powerful bat, as well as her strong arm, and she is going to hit a lot of home runs for us. This is an exciting signing for us."
Guthrie, who primarily played third base, led her team in home runs each of the past two seasons, including a school record 10 this past season. Additionally, she hit .391 with 21 runs, 33 RBI and 10 doubles to help lead her team to an Ohio River Valley Conference (ORVC) championship while earning All-ORVC and All-Sectional honors. She also earned the team's gold glove and batting average awards under the tutelage of head coach Yatzie Roysden.
Academically, she is a National Honor Society member and earned Milan's Varsity Academic Honor.
Overall, Guthrie is the 13th student-athlete to join next year's freshmen class. She joins Kailey Minarchick (RHP, Columbia Station/Columbia Station, Ohio), Megan Gregory (RHP, Rittman/Rittman, Ohio), Miranda Benschoter (RHP/OF, Elmwood/Bloomdale, Ohio), Taylor Donaldson (RHP, Manton/Manton, Mich.), Jamie Miller (RHP/IF, Clay/Oregon, Ohio), Michayla Barga (IF, Bradford/Bradford, Ohio), Olivia Myers (IF, Elmwood/Bloomdale, Ohio), Brittany Brauer (Util., Manton/Manton, Mich.), Angelique Prunty (C, Elyria/Elyria, Ohio), Jessi Ducat (C, Evergreen/Lyons, Ohio), Taylor Andrews (IF, Oak Hall/Lake Butler, Fla.) and Lindsey Wiggins (IF, Bradford/Brooker, Fla.).
Notes
The Owens softball team recently completed its 2015 season with a 32-18 overall record. Along the way, the team captured Ohio Community College Athletic Conference (OCCAC) and Region XII District I championships. The team's season finished in the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Division II National Tournament, where they finished in the top 12 in the nation. The team captured the program's 500th win earlier in the season, as well.
Following the season, the Owens softball coaching staff won the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) East Region Coaching Staff of the Year award. Sophomore Tori Weidinger (Whitmer/Toledo, Ohio) became the program's first NFCA All-American, and freshman outfielder Jacey Gray (Springfield/Holland, Ohio) was named the OCCAC Player of the Year and a National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Division II Third Team All-American.
Academically, the team had 10 of its 18 players earn their way on to the OCCAC All-Academic team, while Lexi Williams (Home School/Swanton, Ohio), Haley Kreger (Bedford/Temperance, Mich.) and Lesley Ducat (Evergreen/Lyons, Ohio) all earned NJCAA Academic Honors, and the team posted a 3.37 team GPA in the spring semester.