Softball’s Schmidt and Smith Score First-Team All-IIAC Honors, Loes Named to Second Team
May 7, 2015
IIAC Release
DUBUQUE, Iowa – Senior utility player, Meggie Schmidt, and outfielder, Andrea Smith, garnered First Team All-Iowa Conference honors, while pitcher Megan Loes was a Second-Team All-IIAC selection after leading Spartan softball to its third straight Iowa Conference Tournament berth.
The trio contributed to an Iowa Conference tournament run that came to an end in the conference semifinals. The #6-seeded Spartans defeated #3 seed Simpson in round one, but fell to Central in the -semis, 7-1. It was UD’s third straight year with at least one win in the IIAC Tourney.
Senior Meggie Schmidt collected a double and UD’s lone run scored in the first round win over Simpson in the IIAC tournament en route to her second All-IIAC softball honor, and third All-IIAC award overall. Schmidt finished second in the IIAC in hits (21) during 14 league, Top-10 in total bases (27), and carried the 12th highest batting average at .420. Schmidt would also post an on-base percentage of .420 and slugging percentage of .500.
The versatile senior played and started all 14 IIAC games and saw at least two games of action at shortstop, second base, outfield, and designated hitter during that time. No matter the position, Schmidt put the ball in play after recording at least two hits in each of her first five games and eight such games overall. The senior finished 3-for-4 with one RBI, one run scored, and one extra base hit each in a win at Central, 3-1, and a narrow defeat vs. Simpson.
Schmidt led the Spartans in a multitude of categories throughout the entire season including hits (51), batting average (.395), slugging percentage (.535), runs scored (21), doubles (8), and total bases (69).
The Edgerton, Wis. native was named Second Team All-IIAC at second base in 2013 and was selected to the Second Team All-IIAC in basketball earlier this year after leading the Spartan to their first regular season IIAC title as UD’s second leading scorer.
Schmidt majors in Criminal Justice and Sociology.
Junior Andrea Smith’s first year at UD saw her claim First-Team All-IIAC honors at left field and hit her first home run ever, a grand slam, in 12-9 win over Loras on April 2. The former 2013 Second-Team All-Conference outfielder at Southeastern Community College tied with Schmidt for the team-lead with eight doubles and stole the second-most bases with four over the entire season.
The Burlington, Iowa native hit safely in 11 of 14 IIAC games and totaled a season-high three hits and a stolen base in close defeat to Buena Vista on April 11. Smith posted a .415 batting average, .455 on-base percentage, and .659 slugging percentage with four doubles, two home runs, and seven RBIs in 14 games started during league play.
Smith majors in sports marketing & management.
Junior starting pitcher Megan Loes picked up the victory after allowing one run in four innings of relief of 7-4 first round win over Simpson to earn her first IIAC honor. The 2014 Academic All-IIAC award winner guided the Spartans to their third straight IIAC tourney appearance after posting a 3.85 ERA, a team-high 36.1 innings over nine appearances, and an IIAC-best .186 batting average against during IIAC play.
When utilized, the Cascade, Iowa native was also a threat at the plate after compiling a .375 batting average in eight at-bats with one run scored and one walk during league play. Loes’ placed Top-10 in the IIAC in four major categories that included ERA (3.85), batting average against (.186), innings pitched (36.1), and strikeouts (23). Her .186 batting average against was over .040 better than the next best pitcher.
Over her first four appearances (18.2 innings) in IIAC play, Loes surrendered just one earned run and five hits while striking out 14. Loes held #13 Central to a mere two hits in a 3-1 victory on April 10 and struck out a season-high six batters over 5.2 innings in loss to Buena Vista on April 11.
Loes majors in elementary education.
Smith will pave the way for the Spartans in 2016 after UD graduated a plethora of senior starters, including most of the pitching staff. The Spartans will aim for their fourth straight IIAC tournament berth and a shot at the title.
