ST. LOUIS - Missouri Baptist Softball was well represented in the American Midwest Conference Regular Season Awards lists as six members were placed on All-Conference Teams and numerous Spartans won individual awards.
Following a stellar regular season, winning 40 games for the first time in program history, the Spartans were seen all over the AMC All-Conference awards lists. Along with being named on All-Conference Teams, Brooklynn Fischer won the Player of the Year award, Taylor Whitehead was named Pitcher of the Year, and Jacie Dees brought home Newcomer of the Year.
Fischer put together quite the season, ending the regular season with a .435 batting average, 47 RBIs, six homeruns, and a 1.171 OPS. She produced plenty of runs for the Spartans in the three hole, and had a tremendous season in the circle. Pitching, she struck out 131 batters while picking up four shutouts in 20 wins.
Whitehead was unbelievable for MBU on the rubber in her 134 innings pitcher. She struck out 143 opponents, held a 1.83 ERA, and allowed a .175 batting average against. Whitehead claimed a 16-2 record and threw nine shutouts, highlighted by her second career perfect game against Harris-Stowe.
Dees, the Junior transfer from John A. Logan, claimed AMC Newcomer of the Year following her prolific regular season. She batted .419, drove in 30 runs, scored 43 times, and blasted four homeruns. Dees had 16 multi hit games for the Spartans and had a .476 OBP.
Jenna Achs was joined by these three on the AMC All-Conference First Team. Achs led the team with a .453 batting average and 63 hits. Achs reached base in nearly half of her at-bats with a .490 OBP, and scored 40 runs for Missouri Baptist.
Miranda Ladson and Camryn Kessler were both named to the AMC All-Conference Second Team. Ladson hit a team-high eight homeruns and was second in the conference. She also drove in 41 runs while hitting 20 extra-base hits. Kessler was named AMC Player of the Week two times throughout her first season as a Spartan, and she tallied 35 hits in her 100 at-bats while driving in 31 runs.
Alexi Sanchez was named AMC All-Conference Third Team. She batted .333 throughout the season with plenty of run production, 26 runs scored and 31 RBIs.
Achs, Dees, and Sanchez also played some great defense throughout the season, limiting runs and making plays all over the outfield, and all were placed on the AMC Gold Glove Team, alongside Emily Wright. Wright only made one error on the season and racked up 163 putouts and nine assists from behind the plate.
The Spartans won the AMC Regular Season Title, going 20-2 in conference play, earning a bid to the NAIA National Tournament, claiming the No. 1 seed in the AMC Conference Tournament, and reached 40 wins for the first time in program history.
Missouri Baptist kicks off their AMC Conference Tournament with a noon game tomorrow, April 29 against Stephens. The tournament is hosted by Central Baptist in Conway, Ark..
MBU won both of their contests this season against the Stars when Stephens came to Missouri Baptist in late March. The Spartans won 11-1 in the first game and 14-0 in the second.
Fischer and Whitehead were dominant in their appearances against the Stars, only allowing one run and seven hits in 10 combined innings. The Spartans' offense was tremendous throughout that afternoon, racking up double digit extra-base hits.
The winner of Missouri Baptist and Stephens will advance to play the winner of Williams Baptist and Central Baptist.
The AMC Conference Tournament is a double elimination style tournament, and the winner receives an automatic bid to the NAIA National Tournament. The Championship game will be played on Friday, May 2.
The Spartans have only lost two conference games throughout the season, one to Columbia and one to Central Baptist, both one run games. Missouri Baptist finished the regular season on a 12-game win streak, and will look to continue their success into the postseason.
To read the American Midwest Conference's full All-Conference release, visit https://amcsportsonline.com/news/2025/4/29/2025-amc-softball-all-conference-season-awards-announced.aspx
