All-HCAC Honors
Betts and Neal named All-HCAC in softball
By Scott Van Eman, SID Intern
May 8, 2003
Freshman pitcher Sarah Betts (Bryan/Bryan High School) and senior infielder Missy Neal, an early childhood education major from Okeana (Ross Senior High School), have received All-Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference honors for the 2003 softball season.
In just her first season of collegiate softball Sarah Betts gained the role of ace for the 2003 Bluffton pitching staff. Nearly all of Betts’ pitching statistics this season are the best-ever by a freshman at Bluffton. Her 22 appearances in 2003 are a new school record, while her 1.84 ERA (4th all-time), .188 opponent batting average (2nd all-time), 6.84 strikeouts per game (2nd all-time), 129 innings pitched (2nd all-time) and 126 strikeouts (2nd all-time) are all freshman records. She ended the season with a 10-9 record, which is the 2nd-most ever by a frosh and is tied for 4th in the single-season record book. In league games, Betts ranked second in the HCAC in opposing batting average (.214), innings pitched (54.0) and strikeouts (55), and was named HCAC player of the week the week of April 13th. Sarah is the daughter of John and Joy Betts of Bryan.
Missy Neal was one of Bluffton’s standout offensive threats this season, ending the season with a .349 batting average, 12 runs scored, 29 hits, and 12 RBI’s. This season Neal shined in Heartland Conference play, batting .500, which ranked 3rd in the HCAC, as well as adding two doubles and four RBI’s. Neal has been a four year starter for Bluffton College and holds career marks of a .313 batting average (10th all-time), 114 games played (9th all-time), 113 games started (8th all-time), 319 at bats (9th all-time), 100 hits (8th all-time), and 34 walks (7th all-time). Missy is the daughter of Jeff and Michelle Neal of Okeana.
