STARKVILLE, Miss. - The Metro State softball team finished among the national leaders in multiple statistical categories, released earlier this month, and also had numerous individuals finish the 2009 season among the best in NCAA Division II. As a team, the Roadrunners tied the national record for home runs in a season with 98 in just 52 games. The previous record was held by Mesa State in 2001 (54 games) and Arkansas-Monticello in 2007 (66 games).
Metro State also led the country in home runs per game, an average of 1.88. The team finished just below the Division II record of 1.93 per game from Mesa State in 2006 (86 home runs in 43 games). The Roadrunners also led the country in slugging percentage (.636) and were fifth in batting average (.358) and runs scored per game (8.46). Metro State was 16th in win/loss percentage (.769), 20th in doubles per game (1.62) and 43rd in double plays turned per game (0.35).
Junior catcher/designated player
Tara Mickelson (Wheat Ridge, Colo.) finished second in the nation in home runs per game, averaging 0.42 per game, while shattering the school record with 22 homers (ranking seventh nationally in total home runs). She also broke the school's runs batted in record with 74, ranking fifth nationally in RBI per game at 1.42. Her slugging percentage of 0.819 ranked 20th and her batting average of .398 was 98th.
Junior centerfielder
Kellie Nishikida (Pearl City, Hawaii) ranked 19th in runs scored per game (1.19), 38th in total home runs (13), 47th in RBI per game (1.02), 48th in home runs per game (0.25), 56th in slugging percentage (0.722), 63rd in doubles per game (0.31) and 81st in batting average (.407). Both Mickelson and Nishikida earned All-America honors from the AFCA with Mickelson on the first team and Nishikida on the second team.
Sophomore shortstop
Amber Roundtree (Lakewood, Colo.) finished seventh in NCAA II in runs scored per game (1.35), 16th in hit by pitch per game, 20th in on-base percentage (.528), 25th in batting average (.449), 63rd in doubles per game (0.31), 91st in toughest to strike out (17.6 at bats per strikeout) and 93rd in slugging percentage (.670).
Junior second baseman
Sarah Rusch (Westminster, Colo.) was 11th in home runs per game (0.35), 12th in total home runs (17), 16th in RBI per game (1.22), 27th in runs scored per game (1.14), 29th in slugging percentage (.781), 28th in hit by pitch per game (0.18) and 63rd in on-base percentage (.487).
Junior pitcher
Christie Robinson (Clinton, Wash.) was 15th in win with 25 during the season. Fellow pitcher, freshman
Brittany Moss (Northglenn, Colo.), was 53rd in strikeouts per seven innings (7.2).
Sophomore leftfielder
Jennessa Tesone (Longmont, Colo.) finished the season 38th nationally in home runs (13), 38th in hit by pitch per game (0.17), 48th in home runs per game (0.25) and 74th in RBI per game (0.88).
Junior first baseman
Jessica Haab (Colorado Springs, Colo.) ended the year 23rd in hit by pitch per game (0.20), 73rd in total home runs (11), 81st in home runs per game (0.22) and 90th in RBI per game (0.84).
Finally, sophomore catcher/designated player
Lauren Hainlen (Parker, Colo.) was 47th in the nation in walks per game (0.57), 98th in on-base percentage (0.471) and 11th in sacrifice flies with five.
Metro State, in its second season of softball since the program disbanded after the 1990 season, won the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference's regular season and tournament titles and finished with an overall record of 40-12, reaching the NCAA Tournament for the first time in school history.