Gostomsky-Holava Highlight DC All-HCAC Softball Selections

GREENWOOD, IND.  --  Several members of the Defiance College softball team were recognized for a successful season by being selected to the 2017 All-Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference Teams, highlighted by Brooke Gostomsky (Covington) being named "Freshman of the Year" and Head Coach Jodie Holava tabbed as "Coach of the Year."  [All-HCAC Teams]

Gostomsky was also one of three players to earn first-team accolades.  Joining Gostomsky were senior Megan Warren (Mason) and junior Sarah Kaya (Lorain/Clearview).

Gostomsky played in 41 games and started 38 in her first season as a Yellow Jacket.  She batted .370 (44-of-119) for the year to go along with three homeruns, three triples, nine doubles, scored 25 runs and 26 runs batted in.  Her 25 runs scored were second most on the team and her 26 RBI were third most.  Gostomsky had 13 multi-hit games, including a season-high three hits on two occasions.  She also ended the season with a .571 slugging percentage and .432 on-base percentage.

Warren earns her second career All-HCAC award and her first first-team honor.  This season, Warren played in and started all 42 games.  She led the team in several statistical categories including:  batting average (.401), hits (55), at-bats (137), doubles (10), RBI (33) and was tied for the team-lead in stolen bases with five.  Her 55 hits tied for her the school single-season record.  In addition, her 33 RBI were tied for seventh most in a season and her .401 batting average was the ninth highest in a season.

For her career, Warren played in 145 games and started 140.  She posted a lifetime .349 batting average (151-of-433) with eight home runs, three triples, 38 doubles, 57 runs scored and 99 RBI.  Her 38 doubles is a program all-time high and she also ranks second all-time in RBI (99), third in hits (151), eighth in home runs (eight), ninth in batting average (.349) and 10th in at-bats (433).

Kaya capped a solid season with her second career All-Conference accolade.  She earned honorable mention honors as a freshman.  This past spring, Kaya led the team in every major statistical category as a pitcher.  She made 26 total appearances with 22 starts and pitched 18 complete games.  She ended the year with a 13-11 record, including three shutout victories, and a 2.21 earned run average.  Kaya tallied 82 strikeouts in 152.1 innings.  Her 13 victories tied her for seventh all-time in a single season and her 152.1 total innings were 10th most.

Defiance had two players earn second-team recognition in sophomores Jackie Hartman (Parma/Padua Franciscan) and Jordan Osborne (Delaware/Rutherford B. Hayes).

Hartman had a standout season at the plate by tying the school single-season mark in home runs with nine.  She also led the team in RBI with 41 which were also the third most in a year.  Hartman batted .276 at the plate (37-of-134) with seven doubles and 18 runs scored.  She had 12 multi-hit games, including two games with four RBI and one game with five RBI.  Her 37 hits were fourth most on the team.

Osborne played in 36 games this season and started every one.  She finished just behind Warren in batting average at .370 with 48 hits in 124 at-bats and had 16 multi-hit games.  She led the team in runs scored with 33.  In addition, Osborne hit three triples, three doubles, and drove in nine runs. Defensively, Osborne posted a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage at her left field position with 43 putouts and two assists.

Also making the All-Conference Teams was sophomore Jamie Kimbler (Huber Heights/Wayne) as an honorable mention selection.  Kimbler stepped forward to become the team's "number two" pitcher this season and made a total of 17 appearances with 12 starts and four complete games.  She recorded six wins (6-2 overall), including one shut out victory, and had a 3.03 ERA.  Kimbler struck out a total of 14 batters in 71.2 innings.

Completing the list of DC players to earn HCAC postseason honors was senior Emily Denhard (Troy, Mich./Kolbe Academy) who was named to the All-Sportsmanship Team.  Denhard played in all 42 games during her senior season and started all but one game.  She totaled 22 hits in 101 at-bats (.218 average) with a triple, three doubles, scored 24 runs and had seven RBI.  Her 24 runs scored were third most on the team and she led the team in walks with 15.

Denhard ends her career having played in 131 games and started 117.  She had a .251 lifetime batting average (73-of-291) with a triple, three doubles, 69 runs scored and 15 RBI.  She also tallied 43 walks and stole nine bases.  

Holava was named the conference "Coach of the Year" for the first time in her career after leading the Yellow Jackets to a 24-18 overall record and a third-place finish in the HCAC with a 10-5 mark.  It marked the first 20-win season for DC since the 2011 season that saw the Jackets finish 20-22 overall.  DC also qualified for the HCAC Tournament for the first time since 2011.  Holava, who is already the program's winningest coach, improves her coaching record to 228-248 following the completion of her 12th season in charge of the program.