CORVALLIS, Ore. – The 2022 Cascade Collegiate Conference Softball postseason awards were announced Thursday by the conference office.
The two seeds of the CCC Softball Tournament, presented by U.S. Bank, each had two top award winners. No. 8-ranked Southern Oregon University’s Riley Donovan was named the WVT Laboratory Player of the Year, while Cayla Williams grabbed the Newcomer of the Year. No. 4-ranked Oregon Tech saw Sarah Abramson grab Pitcher of the Year and Greg Stewart was selected as the Coach of the Year. UBC was awarded the Les Schwab Team Sportsmanship Award.
Donovan, a junior from Half Moon Bay, Calif., had a stellar second season with the Raiders after last year being named the CCC Newcomer of the Year and the NAIA World Series MVP. Heading into the postseason, Donovan ranks in multiple stat categories in the NAIA, including: first in RBIs (83), first in walks (46), first in on-base percentage (.611), second in home runs (17), second in doubles (22), and third in batting average (.503). She already has broken two SOU single-season records and could set more before the season ends.
Abramson, a senior from Milwaukie, Ore., led the Owls to clinch the regular-season CCC title and earn hosting honors as the top seed of the conference tournament. She boasts a 1.86 ERA (fourth in the conference) and is a force from the circle with 24 wins (third in the NAIA) under her belt. Abramson is a knockout queen with 202 strikeouts (eighth in the NAIA), including 54 looking, to hold opponents to a .190 batting average – all of which leads the CCC.
Williams, a junior from San Jose, transferred to the Raider team after two seasons at West Valley College and became a key component to SOU’s success as a threat both in the circle and the batter’s box. Only behind Donovan, Williams boasts a .480 batting average and .824 slugging percentage. She has 17 doubles, one triple and eight home runs heading into the postseason. In the circle, Williams boasts a 1.68 ERA (first in the CCC) with 16 wins (third in conference), four saves (first in the CCC) and 83 strikeouts. She holds opponents to a .204 batting average (fourth in conference) and has helped the Raiders secure eight shutouts.
In his 18
th year at the helm of the Owls, Stewart led Oregon Tech to win the regular-season conference championship. Coming off a NAIA runner-up finish, the Owls started the year as the No. 1-ranked team in the NAIA and have never slipped out of the top-five. Under Stewart, the Owls boast the best pitching staff in the conference with a 2.09 team ERA, totaling 331 strikeouts, including 102 looking. The Owl offense also sits second in the conference with a .341 team batting average, 386 runs scored, 332 RBIs and 41 home runs. This marks his seventh time winning the CCC Coach of the Year honor.
OIT and SOU each had seven all-conference selections, while No. 15-ranked Eastern Oregon University had four earn the honor and No. 20-ranked College of Idaho saw six pick up the distinction. Northwest University made history and saw its first-ever all-conference honorees.
HERE is a complete list of this year’s All-Conference and Gold Glove honorees as voted on by the CCC softball head coaches. The Gold Glove is awarded to the top defensive players at each position.