Olivet College’s Grubb and Smith earn All-MIAA softball honors

FREELAND, Mich. – Olivet College junior softball players Ashlynn Grubb and Taylor Smith have earned 2016 All-Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) honors. Grubb is a first-team selection, while Smith is a second-team pick. All-MIAA honors were based on a player's performance during the 16-game league schedule.

Grubb narrowly missed being the MIAA's batting champion, with a .460 average (23-of-50). She also ranked in the top five in total hits (fourth, 23) and on-base percentage (fifth, .472). Grubb also started half of the games in the circle, winning two games and striking out 36 batters.

For Olivet's entire 34 game schedule, Grubb posted a .385 batting average to go along with 12 runs scored, 12 doubles, 21 RBI and .523 slugging percentage. In 116 plate appearances, she only struck out twice and a hitting streak of 15 games. In the circle, Grubb had a 10-6 record, 2.96 ERA and 97 strikeouts in 106.1 innings pitched. She had a perfect fielding percentage, with zero errors in 27 chances.

Grubb is now only the second softball player in school history to be a three-time All-MIAA selection. She earned first-team honors in 2014 and second-team honors in 2015.

Smith started all 16 MIAA games at shortstop and recorded a .348 batting average, as well as 10 runs scored, seven doubles two home runs, six RBI and .630 slugging percentage. Smith's best game was a 3-for-4 performance in a 4-1 win at Kalamazoo.

For the whole season, Smith led the Comets in virtually every offensive statistical category, including .410 batting average, 28 runs scored, 43 hits, 16 doubles, five home runs, 26 RBI, .705 slugging percentage and .463 on-base percentage. She also topped the team with 14 multi-hit games.