Centerville, MA---- The Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) announced its 2012 Division III Metro Softball All-Star Team. The Sage Colleges placed two student-athletes on the team as rookie infielder Kristen Beikirch (Brockport, NY/Brockport) was named the Rookie of the Year and junior pitcher and outfielder Kelsey Newberg (New Britain, CT/New Britain) was selected for the team as a utility player.

For the Gators, the 2012 season brought a number of program firsts! Among the many highlights were a pair of runner-up finishes at the 2012 Skyline Conference Championship and the 2012 Eastern College Athletic Conference Metro  NY-NJ Softball Championships. Along the way, the Gators enjoyed an incredible run that included a school-record 29 wins, including another record with a streak of 13 straight victories, while playing in a program-best 46 games along the way.

As a team, Sage recorded more wins this season than any other team in the Skyline Conference with 29, while adding a .335 batting average, and connecting for school record performances that includes 299 runs scored, most hits 437, most doubles (89), most home runs (30), most RBI (269), most total bases (632), most shutouts (9), and lowest opponent batting average (.262).  

Beikirch became the first Gator to be named Skyline Conference Rookie of the Year and now adds the ECAC distinction to her resume. The second baseman made an instant impact at Sage by setting the single-season hits record at the school with 62.  She also led the team in batting average (.434).  Beikirch played all 46 games and scored 39 runs. She drove in 31 runs, while adding a .622 slugging percentage. She also led the Gators with her 16-19 effort on stolen bases. She hit successfully in 40 of Sage's 46 games this past season and tied together a 19-game hit streak mid-season as well as 21 games with a multiple-hit effort at the plate. She was also placed on the Skyline Conference All-Star First Team at second base.

Adding to the success of the Gators Newberg excelled in the circle and at the plate and was named to the team as a utility player. Newberg broke a pair of long-standing Sage strikeout records for both a season and career. She fanned 119 batters this year alone and now has 187 career strikeouts. She also became one of Sage's first players named to the 2012 Skyline Conference All-Star First Team as a utility player as well this year.

She went 16-9 this year and her 16 wins in a season is another Gator record. In the circle for Sage this year, Newberg fanned 10 or more batters twice, including an 11-strikeout effort as Sage bested Cazenovia in the team's home opener. She added a pair of saves as well this year, while garnering a 3.08 ERA in 30 appearances. Newberg's success this season was not limited to her time as a pitcher as she added a .306 batting average with 45 hits and 24 RBIs with 31 runs scored.  

Newberg, who is an accomplished scholar-athlete at Sage, has been instrumental in her role as president of Sage's S.A.A.C., which participated in a number of community service projects as the NY State Special Olympics Fall Games, the Special Olympics' Polar Plunge. This spring, while in season, she participated and organized a spirit lifting project at the pediatrics wing of nearby Albany Medical Center. For her efforts on behalf of Sage's student-athletes, she was named the recipient of the ECAC Merit Medal. 
 

Newberg boasts a number of career feats as well as she stands No. 7 in career appearances, No. 8 in innings pitched (238.1), No. 24 in complete games, and No. 4 in career wins (20) and owns a 3.41 career ERA.

2012 ECAC Division III Metro Softball All-Stars

Player of the Year:  Kaitlyn Flynn, 3B, Sr., Staten Island (City University of New York Athletic Conference)

Pitcher of the Year: Lauren Fitzsimmons, Sr., The College of New Jersey (New Jersey Athletic Conference)

Rookie of the Year: Kristen Beikirch, 2B, Fr., The Sage Colleges (Skyline Conference)

Coach of the Year: Jimmy Barrett, NYU-Poly (Skyline Conference)

Catcher: Nicolina Veneziano, Sr., Rowan (New Jersey Athletic Conference)

First Base: Rebecca Satz, Jr. New Jersey City (New Jersey Athletic Conference)

Second Base: Lexie Forsell, So., Drew (Landmark Conference)

Shortstop: Megan Finter, Sr., New Jersey City (New Jersey Athletic Conference)

Third Base: Kaitlyn Flynn, Sr., Staten Island (City University of New York Athletic Conference)

Outfield: Danielle Rothenberger, Sr., Ramapo (New Jersey Athletic Conference)

Outfield: Crystal Lee, Sr., The College of New Jersey (New Jersey Athletic Conference)

Outfield:  Lauren Davis, Sr., Rowan (New Jersey Athletic Conference)

Designated Player: Megan Moran, So., NYU-Poly (Skyline Conference)

*Utility: Kelsey Newberg, Jr., The Sage Colleges (Skyline Conference)

*Utility: Megan McInaw, Sr. FDU-Florham (Middle Atlantic Conference-Freedom)

Pitcher: Lauren Fitzsimmons, Sr., The College of New Jersey (New Jersey Athletic Conference)

Pitcher: Danielle Ponsiglione, Sr., Staten Island (City University of New York Conference)

*Denotes tie in the voting to create an extra All-Star spot for the position