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Softball action vs KC 700.4836 Leatherneck Softball hosts University of Missouri-Kansas City at Mary Ellen McKee stadium in Macomb, Ill. on Sunday, April 23, 2023. The team celebrated the senior players ahead of the last home game of the season.
Rachael Keating

Four Leathernecks Earn All-Summit Honors

| By: WIU Athletic Communications

Bella Alvarez, Savannah Rodriguez, Maria Luna and Emily Price were recognized by the league.

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – The Summit League announced its 2023 All-Summit awards on Tuesday (May 9), with four Western Illinois players earning recognition. Bella Alvarez earned a spot on the All-Summit Second Team while Savannah Rodriguez, Emily Price and Maria Lune were recognized as All-Summit Honorable Mention selections.
 
"For this team to have four players earn All-Summit League awards is a huge turning point for the program," head coach Alisa Goler said. "While one of them is graduating, having three return bodes really well for the future and I think those three will continue to grow and improve."
 
Tuesday's announcement sees three Leathernecks earn their first All-Summit recognition while also marking the first time since 2018 that more than three players have been recognized. It's also just the third time since 2012 that WIU has at least four players recognized while serving as the 25th instance since the program began play in 1983 in which four or more Leathernecks were named to an All-Summit team.
 
An All-Summit Second Team selection, Bella Alvarez took a major step during the 2023 season. Originally from Santa Clarita, Calif., Alvarez improved her batting average from .211 as a sophomore to .306 as a junior while leading the team in average, hits (41), doubles (nine), total bases (67), OPS (.854) and slugging percentage (.500). She also launched a career-high five home runs and drove in 17 runs while recording 11 multi-hit games – including a career-high three against Kansas City on April 23.
 
"Bella is the definition of hard work paying off. There wasn't a day this season that I walked through Western Hall and didn't see her getting extra reps in the batting cages, and the reports that we got from the weight room said she was constantly doing extra in there too," Goler said. "Her performance was directly tied to that work and I'm really excited that she had such a jump. I know she'll be chomping at the bit to get back for her senior season."
 
In her final season at Western Illinois, Savannah Rodriguez earned All-Summit recognition for the second time after being named Second Team All-Summit after the 2021 season. This year, Rodriguez appeared in 40 games as a hitter and started 20 of her 27 appearances in the circle. She threw the fifth perfect game in program history during the season opener against Detroit Mercy on Feb. 12, striking out 12 and would later be named TicketSmarter Co-Peak Pitcher of the Week on Feb. 13 for her efforts against the Titans.
 
As a hitter, Rodriguez finished with a .280 average while tying for second in the league with seven home runs; she also led the team in RBI (20) while posting an OPS of .815 and slugging .491 across 118 total at bats.
 
"I'm really excited for Sav as a senior to go out with an award," Goler said. "I'm sure she would've liked to end her career at the Summit League Tournament, but I'm really happy that the rest of the coaches and league recognized the effort that she put in and the legacy that she graduates with from this university."
 
After pitching 34 total innings last year, Emily Price played a key role in the Leatherneck rotation this year with 117 innings of work. Her 3.41 ERA ranked eighth-best among Summit League pitchers while ranking in the top-10 for strikeouts (101) and opponent batting average (.283) while throwing eight complete games. She struck out a season-high nine against Valpo on Feb. 11 and threw a gem of a game against then-ranked no. 25 Wichita State on March 5, allowing six hits and two runs while striking out five across seven innings of work.
 
"I firmly believe that if you asked Emily, she would tell you she didn't have that good of a year because that's how high her standards are, but to go from pitching at a Division-II school to winning All-Summit recognition in just two years is incredible," Goler said. "I know she's going to go home this summer, perfect her craft, come back and have a great senior season."
 
Rounding out Western's All-Summit selections is Maria Luna, who played a significant role this year as a true freshman. Originally from Chino Hills, Calif., Luna's .282 batting average was third-highest on the team (minimum 25 at bats) while boasting a .710 OPS, two home runs and 12 RBI across 42 appearances this season. She had eight multi-hit performances including a game against Middle Tennessee on March 11 in which she finished 3-4 with a home run; she also boasted a fielding percentage of .968 across 125 total chances.
 
"I think anytime a freshman comes in and earns some kind of award it's really special. I remember being thrown in the fire with no idea which way is up during my first year, so to navigate all of that and earn an All-Conference award is special," Goler said. "She's one of the building blocks of our program moving forward and she didn't even get to pitch this year. Once she's able to do both and affect both sides of the ball, I think she's going to be a name that is coming across peoples' desks for more awards in the future."
 
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