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Florida Atlantic University Athletics
Samantha Messer Named Preseason Pitcher of the Year
1/21/2015 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Jan. 21, 2015
BOCA RATON, Fla. - Florida Atlantic University's Samantha Messer was named Conference USA Preseason Pitcher of the Year, the conference office announced on Wednesday.
Messer, a senior from Sarasota, finished the 2014 season with a 15-8 record and a 1.45 ERA, including seven shutouts and two saves. Opponents batted just .203 against Messer, who threw a team high 145.0 innings last season.
"This is an amazing accomplishment and well deserved honor for Sam," said Joan Joyce, FAU head softball coach.
Juniors Christina Martinez and Mickey Bell were selected to the Preseason All-Conference USA team along with Messer. Martinez, an outfielder from Miami, earned First-Team All-C-USA honors last season, a year in which she led the team in batting average (.360), hits (64), triples (5), total bases (82) and slugging percentage (.461).
"Christina has gotten better and better every year," Joyce said. "Hopefully she'll continue that trend in this year and I think she'll be a real offensive threat for us." Bell, a Lipscomb transfer, made the team as a catcher and hit .265 in her first season as an Owl, drew a team high 24 walks and hit a game tying homerun in the C-USA tournament.
"Mickey did a great job with the pitchers last season and really set the tone defensively," Joyce said.
After a 15-9 record in the team's first season as a member of C-USA, the FAU softball team was picked to finish third in the preseason coaches' poll and received a first place vote.
"The conference is wide open this season and I feel we should be able to compete with all the teams we play," Joyce said.
The Owls open up the season at home against Arkansas on Friday, Feb. 6 as part of the FAU Kick-Off Classic.
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