Columbus County native wins Big South player of year honors in softball

LYNCHBURG,VA – (WWAY) — Liberty senior Ashley Bensinger and junior Kelly Strickland were both named to the 2011 Louisville Slugger/NFCA Division I All-Region second team for the Mid-Atlantic region.

A total of 258 players from 126 different institutions comprise this season’s regional teams, including first and second teams for each region. The all-region teams were chosen by NFCA member coaches from each region, and all the honorees are now eligible for selection to the Louisville Slugger/NFCA All-America first, second or third teams.

Bensinger, a third baseman from Newark, Del., has enjoyed a stellar senior campaign and was named to the Big South All-Conference first team, the first conference honor of her career. She enters this weekend’s NCAA Regionals on a 15-game hitting streak, and leads the team with a .347 batting average. Bensinger also leads the squad with 41 runs scored, and ranks sixth in Liberty history with 61 career walks.

Strickland, a second baseman from Tabor City, N.C., became the fourth player in Liberty history to win Big South Player of the Year honors, as she was named the 2011 Big South Co-Player of the Year along with Radford’s Nichole Beall. She leads the Big South with 16 home runs on the year, which puts her at No. 5 on Liberty’s season top 10 list. Strickland is tied for third in program history with 37 career home runs.

The Lady Flames will kick off their second-ever appearance in the NCAA Regionals tonight, when Liberty faces No. 14 seed Tennessee at 6:30 p.m. in Knoxville, Tenn.

article courtesy Liberty Sports Information