May 10, 2017
By: Cameron Rife, sports information intern

All-Heartland Conference release

BLUFFTON, Ohio - The Bluffton University softball team had two of its members recognized when the All-Heartland Conference awards were announced on Wednesday, May 10. Emily Scupholm (Cuyahoga Falls/Our Lady of the Elms) and Jessie Madzia (Massillon/Tuslaw) were both named Honorable Mention All-HCAC. The Heartland Conference also announced the All-Sportsmanship Team.

Emily Scupholm wrapped up a terrific career at Bluffton in 2017, finishing with an 11-6 record and a superb 1.64 earned run average. Scupholm held opposing batters to a paltry .230 average which is 16th all-time on the single-season list. Her 11 wins this year pushed her career total to 30 which ranks seventh all-time. She started 18 games, giving her 41 career starts which is tied for eighth on the all-time list. Bluffton's ace fired 59 strikeouts this year, placing Scupholm 20th on the all-time single season list and moving her up to eighth on the all-time list with 152. Scupholm's 1.36 earned run average this year in conference play ranks second to fellow Beaver hurler Jessie Madzia. She finished her career with 28 complete games and six shutouts, good for ninth and sixth, respectively, on the all-time list.

Junior standout Jessie Madzia also put together a terrific season for the Beavers, earning honorable mention honors in the process. Jessie Madzia fashioned a record of 5-3 with a microscopic earned run average of 0.86. Madzia is one of just two Bluffton pitchers who have posted an earned run average of less than one for a single season (Sarah Betts - 0.74). In conference play Madzia was even more dominating with an ERA of 0.74 which was tops in the conference and just ahead of teammate Emily Scupholm.

Madzia ranks third all-time with a 1.95 career earned run average. This season opposing batters only hit .220, putting her 10th on the all-time single season list and opponents have a .249 career average against her which is fifth on the all-time list. Also for her career, Madzia has 3.41 strikeouts per seven innings (9th all-time). On top of being a dominant pitcher Madzia can also get it done at the plate, finishing with five home runs (tied for 11th on the all-time single season list). Her 14 career bombs are already tied for fifth on the all-time list. Madzia currently ranks ninth with a .489 career slugging percentage.

In conjunction with the All-Heartland Conference awards, the conference has announced the All-HCAC Sportsmanship Team for 2017. This award has been developed as part of a conference-wide sportsmanship initiative. Members of the All-HCAC Sportsmanship team are selected by the coaches and their teammates as individuals who demonstrate the ideals of positive sportsmanship both on and off the field/court of competition. Junior Chelsea Zoltowski (Sylvania/Southview) was recognized for her sportsmanship this season.

-BEAVERS-