Ball State softball catcher McKayla Timmons has enjoyed a stellar final season to a standout career in Muncie. Her accomplishments this year have earned her special recognition from the Mid-American Conference.
On Wednesday, May 7, Timmons received MAC Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year honors. The redshirt senior was also named first-team All-MAC for the third consecutive season.
Timmons led the MAC in batting average (.430), OPS (1.514) and slugging percentage (.906). She also led the conference with 53 RBIs and 116 total bases. Her 15 home runs ranked third in the MAC, and she also finished second in the MAC in stolen bases with 21.
In conference play, Timmons still paced the MAC with a 1.486 OPS. Of her 29 hits against MAC opponents, 17 of them were for multiple bases: nine home runs, seven doubles and a triple. She was also walked 27 times — nine more than the next closest player.
Timmons earned the MAC’s inaugural Defensive Player of the Year award for her efforts behind the plate. She did not commit an error in 93 chances in league play and shut down the opposition with her presence at catcher. Opposing MAC teams attempted a league-low six steals against Timmons.
Joining Timmons on the All-MAC first-team is sophomore shortstop Maia Pietrzak, who led the conference with 37 total runs scored. Her .398 batting average in MAC play ranked ninth in the conference, and she led Ball State with 33 hits in conference play. Pietrzak also developed a clutch reputation with four game-winning runs in Ball State’s 16 league wins.
Timmons and Pietrzak will lead Ball State softball into the MAC Tournament this week. The tournament begins Wednesday, May 7, at Firestone Stadium in Akron, Ohio. Ball State will be the No. 4 seed and take on No. 5 Akron in the first round at noon Wednesday with a chance to play top-seeded Miami (Ohio) on Thursday, May 8.
Contact Cade Hampton via email at cbhampton@muncie.gannett.com or on X, formerly known as Twitter, @CadeHamp10.
This article originally appeared on Muncie Star Press: Ball State’s McKayla Timmons sweeps MAC softball Player and Defensive Player of the Year
Reporting by Cade Hampton, Muncie Star Press / Muncie Star Press
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