Caryn Bailey was one of six Hofstra players to be named a NFCA all-region selection

Softball 5/14/2015 11:05:00 AM By Brian Bohl

SB: Six Hofstra Players Named NFCA All-Region Selections

Gainesville, Fla. – Six Hofstra players earned All-Northeast Region honors from the National Fastpitch Coaches Association, it was announced today.

Senior pitcher Morgan Lashley and junior outfielder Caryn Bailey were named all-first team members. Senior pitcher Taylor Pirone, junior outfielder Chloe Fitzgerald and sophomore second baseman Lacey Clark made the second team and junior third baseman Kim Smith was a third-team selection.

Hofstra's selections were the second-most of any school in the region with only fellow Colonial Athletic Association member James Madison garnering more with seven (including five first-team picks).

Lashley earned her second straight all-region pick at Hofstra since transferring from Army West Point before the 2014 season. The right-hander was a second-team selection last season and earned a first-team pick thanks to a 19-2 record and a 1.95 ERA. Her only save of the year came in the game with the highest stakes as she threw 2 1/3 flawless innings and tallied five strikeouts to preserve Hofstra's 2-1 lead in the CAA championship clincher over JMU in Harrisonburg, Virginia. She is 98-37 in her career counting two outstanding seasons for Army from 2012-13 that included a second-team all-region pick with the Black Knights.

Bailey notched her second career all-region first team pick and her first since her freshman year in 2013. The Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania native is hitting .396 with a CAA-leading 16 home runs and 52 RBIs. She has totaled 125 bases in starting all 50 games. In addition to being one away from Danielle Stewart's Hofstra single-season home run record, Bailey has posted a .487 on-base percentage due to a discerning eye that has seen her draw more walks (29) than strikeouts (25). She is slugging .762 and is 9-for-9 in stolen bases. Bailey set CAA Tournament records by hitting four home runs and registering 18 total bases to help Hofstra win two games over then-No. 18 JMU on the Dukes' home field.

Pirone's recognition comes after the right-hander won all three of Hofstra's games in the CAA Tournament. The right-hander, who won a total of six games in her first two collegiate seasons at Fordham, was an NFCA all-region pick for her second straight year as a member of the Pride. After being named to the first team in 2014 following a 17-win campaign, Pirone was named to the second team after going 18-10 with a 1.87 ERA. The New Rochelle, New York product leads Division I in the fewest walks allowed-per-seven innings by issuing just 11 free passes against 117 strikeouts in 183 2/3 innings on the season.

Fitzgerald, the reigning CAA batting champion and slap-hitting leadoff batter, continued an impressive streak by being named to an NFCA postseason team for each of her first three collegiate seasons. A second-team pick in 2013 and a first-team selection last season, Fitzgerald earned another spot by hitting .378 and scoring 38 runs. The speedster was 9-of-11 on stolen base attempts.

Clark made her first NFCA team in her first season as the full-time starter at second. She found a comfort zone as a middle-of-the-order threat and has shown an ability to hit for power and average, batting .329 with six home runs and 35 RBIs. She is one of three starters to carry an OBP of better than .400 while also slugging .503 from a middle infield spot.

Fellow infielder Smith made her second straight all-region team. An all-second team selection last year, Smith made the third team after hitting .316. Her six home runs are double her previous career high while handing the hot corner. Smith entered the year with six career home runs in two years before matching that total in starting all 50 games.

Hofstra is receiving votes in both the NFCA and USA Softball national polls. The Pride will open NCAA Tournament play against Florida Atlantic on Friday at 3:30 p.m. in the Gainesville Regional, which is hosted by top overall seed and the defending national-champion Gators. The matchup versus the Owls can be seen on ESPN 3.

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Players Mentioned

#24 Caryn Bailey: OF; 5' 6"; Junior; L/R

#5 Lacey Clark: INF; 5' 10"; Sophomore; R/R

#10 Chloe Fitzgerald: OF; 5' 6"; Junior; L/L

#8 Morgan Lashley: P; 5' 3"; Senior; R/R

#20 Taylor Pirone: P; 5' 10"; Senior; R/R

#3 Kim Smith: INF; 5' 4"; Junior; R/R

Players Mentioned

#24 Caryn Bailey
: 5' 6"; Junior; L/R
: OF

#5 Lacey Clark
: 5' 10"; Sophomore; R/R
: INF

#10 Chloe Fitzgerald
: 5' 6"; Junior; L/L
: OF

#8 Morgan Lashley
: 5' 3"; Senior; R/R
: P

#20 Taylor Pirone
: 5' 10"; Senior; R/R
: P

#3 Kim Smith
: 5' 4"; Junior; R/R
: INF