Posted: May 16, 2023

Softball Earns Five First Team All-CCC Accolades, Six Total Golden Bears Named to All-CCC Teams

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (May 16, 2023) – The Western New England softball team earned six total student-athletes on the All-CCC Awards list, as presented by the Commonwealth Coast Conference head office this afternoon. Five from WNE Softball picked up All-CCC First Team recognitions while WNE saw one earn All-CCC Third Team honors.

All-CCC First Team

Starting Pitcher Megan Beebe earns her second consecutive All-CCC First Team award after making 26 appearances in the circle, making 21 starts for WNE. Beebe collected a 12-7 record on the season, making one save. The Ellington, Connecticut native threw 124.2 innings on the year, giving up 107 hits, 57 runs, and 45 earned, while walking 28 batters and striking out 115. Beebe dotted a 2.53 ERA on the season and threw eight complete games. Beebe has etched her name into multiple top-10 career pitching records for Western New England, including career wins (49, 4th all-time), strikeouts (282, 7th all-time), saves (4, tied 4th all-time), innings pitched (319.1, 10th all-time), appearances (66, tied 9th all-time), and games started (49, 8th all-time). Beebe's 26 appearances in the circle on the season ties her for 9th most in a single season in program history, matching her mark from a season ago. The senior finishes her career with a 2.61 career ERA over 66 appearances and 49 starts. Beebe is just one of two starters in the CCC to earn All-CCC First Team.

Senior Cori Rizzo lands on the All-CCC First Team for the second time in her career after finishing the season by hitting .298, collecting 14 extra-base hits and 23 total RBIs. Rizzo played in 39 games for the Golden Bears on the season, making 104 plate appearances, collecting 31 total hits. Rizzo smacked 11 doubles for WNE, which sits second on WNE and tied for sixth overall in the CCC. The Methuen, Massachusetts native hit three home runs this season while stealing one base. Rizzo played in 100 games with Western New England, collecting 272 at-bats, collecting a .313 batting average. Rizzo collected 239 putouts on the season and was involved in eight double plays for Western New England. Rizzo collects All-CCC First Team honors as a first baseman.

Graduate Student Dina DiBlasio broke the career batting average record this season, sitting with an average of .404 through 150 games played with WNE. On the season, DiBlasio played in all but one game for Western New England, making 150 at-bats, collecting 63 hits and 30 runs. DiBlasio collected a team and CCC-best 21 doubles, a triple, and four home runs, grabbing 32 total RBIs on the season. DiBlasio swiped one base and hit .420 on the season with an OBP of .439 and a slugging percentage of .653. DiBlasio picks up her third All-CCC First Team award and fourth All-CCC team in her career. The Norwalk, Connecticut native made 84 putouts for WNE on the season and rolled ten double plays. DiBlasio collects All-CCC First Team honors as a second baseman.

West Haven, Connecticut native Kailey Carrano put together a career year at the plate, which included breaking the single-season and all-time record in home runs for the WNE softball program. Carrano was one of just three Golden Bears to play in all 44 games on the season, making 143 plate appearances. Carrano scored 18 runs for WNE while collecting 48 hits, 15 for extra bases, which included 14 home runs for the Golden Bears, a single-season record. Carrano drove in a career-best 43 runs on the season while hitting .336 at the plate. Carrano now has 24 total home runs over her career, a number that is at the top of the WNE all-time home run record books. Carrano accounted for 26 put-outs in the field for the Golden Bears this season while assisting 40 others. Carrano collects All-CCC First Team honors as a third baseman.

Sophomore Gracie Hemstock was named to the All-CCC First Team after producing a .303 batting average for Western New England, which included 33 hits and three extra-base hits on the season. Over 41 games played, Hemstock collected 109 at-bats, scoring 15 runs for the Golden Bears. Hemstock collected 12 RBIs for Western New England while forcing 14 walks on the season. A key bat for the Golden Bears lineup, Hemstock saw little action in the field as the primary Designated Player, though collected seven putouts and 18 assisted putouts in the field. Hemstock collects All-CCC First Team honors as a Designated Player.

All-CCC Third Team

Junior Taylor Keegan earns her second All-CCC resignation for the Golden Bears, earning All-CCC Third Team in 2023. Keegan helped guide the Golden Bears to their third straight CCC Championship series this season after appearing in all 44 games. Keegan collected 149 plate appearances for Western New England, scoring 37 runs and knocking 42 hits, matching her totals from a season ago. Keegan collected 11 extra-base hits for the Golden Bears on the year, six doubles, four triples, and a home run while collecting 16 RBIs. Keegan also led WNE in stolen bases with 13, the second most in the CCC. Keegan finished the season with a .282 batting average and .396 slugging percentage. The Bristol, Connecticut native was part of 50 putouts for WNE this season in the field. Keegan collects All-CCC Third Team honors as an outfielder.

The Western New England softball team earned a 28-16 record on the season, including a 13-5 mark in CCC play, and earned their spot in their third straight CCC Softball Championship series.