GORHAM, Maine – Senior
Ashley Tinsman (Cape Elizabeth, Maine) and graduate student
Kirsten Pelletier (West Gardiner, Maine/Messalonskee) of the University of Southern Maine Huskies softball team have each been named to the 2021 National Fastpitch Coaches' Association (NFCA) New England All Region Team. Pelletier was named a second team pitcher, while Tinsman was selected to the third team as a catcher. Both Pelletier and Tinsman are the first Husky softball players to earn NFCA All-Region honors since 2016 when Courtney Davis '18 earned the honor for the second time in her career.
In her first season at USM, Pelletier, who played as an undergraduate at Bates College earning all-conference honors there, earned first team All-Little East Conference recognition after an outstanding season. Undefeated at 13-0, firing 13 complete games, Pelletier possesses stingy 2.11 earned run average in 99.1 innings of work, and has held her opponents to a .258 batting average against her. During the Little East Conference regular season, Pelletier was a perfect 8-0, and was second in ERA (2.38), first in innings pitched (53.0), first in complete games (8), and fifth in batting average against. She has struck out 78 batters.
"KP has had a tremendous season so far, and has been instrumental in our success and securing the LEC regular season title," said 2021 LEC Coach of the Year
Sarah Jamo. "She has pitched in big games and has come through in big moments. Most impressively she threw a complete game in each game she started during the regular season with a 12-0 record."
A two-time LEC all-conference pick, Tinsman earned a first team nod for the first time in 2021. Southern Maine's starting catcher, Tinsman is having an outstanding season leading the Huskies in nearly every statistical category. Having set the program's single-game record for RBI (7) early in the season against St. Joseph's, Tinsman recently surpassed the single-season record and currently has a team and Little East Conference leading 49 RBI. Hitting .462 (54-for-117) with 10 doubles, a triple, and seven home runs, Tinsman leads the LEC in hits (54), is third in slugging percentage (.732), sixth in batting average, ninth in on-base percentage (.500), second in runs scored (41), sixth in doubles (10), third in home runs (7), and eighth in walks (11). Collecting her seventh home run of the season in an LEC playoff win over Castleton, she now also owns the single-season home run record for the Huskies.
"Ash has had a career season and possibly one of the best in a Husky uniform," noted Jamo. "Her leadership has been the difference for our defense and pitching staff. Leading our team to the best fielding percentage in the LEC and the lowest team ERA in conference. Offensively her numbers are incredible and her record setting 49 RBI and seven home runs demonstrate her power and presence in our lineup."
Southern Maine, the top seed in the 2021 LEC tournament championship, hosts second-seed Eastern Connecticut State University today, Saturday, May 15 (1:00 pm) at the USM Softball Stadium in the 2021 Little East Conference Championship. A best-of-three series, the winner of the LEC tournament earns the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA Division III National Championship tournament. Ranked sixth nationally by the NFCA, Eastern Connecticut finished the LEC regular season 14-2. Both teams split their conference match during the regular season with USM winning game one 7-6, and ECONN taking game two 6-3.
USM has a record of 32-2-1 and finished the LEC regular season 15-1, marking the first time since 1998 that the Huskies have claimed the regular season championship. USM's 31 wins is just the second time in program history that the Huskies have reached the 30-win mark, previously setting a school record for wins (33) in 2004.
| 2021 National Fastpitch Coaches Association All-New England Region |
| First Team |
| Position |
Name |
Institution |
| Pitcher |
Brooke Stock |
Babson College |
| Pitcher |
Sydney Goldman |
Brandeis University |
| Pitcher |
Carly Stoker |
Eastern Connecticut |
| Catcher |
Megan Hodgdon |
Eastern Connecticut |
| First Base |
Bailey Olaveson |
Eastern Nazarene College |
| Second Base |
Adrianna Favreau |
Endicott College |
| Third Base |
Haley Nash |
Brandeis University |
| Short Stop |
Julia SanGiovanni |
Eastern Connecticut |
| Outfield |
Lauren Misiaszek |
Endicott College |
| Outfield |
Cassie Woods |
Eastern Connecticut |
| Outfield |
Alexis Tyrell |
Eastern Connecticut |
| Utility/Pitcher |
Brooke Matyasovsky |
Eastern Connecticut |
| DP/Utility non-Pitcher |
Kenzie Dore |
Husson |
|
|
|
|
Second Team |
|
| Position |
Name |
Institution |
| Pitcher |
Maria Hanchuk |
Endicott College |
| Pitcher |
Kirsten Pelletier |
Southern Maine |
| Catcher |
Meghan Connor |
Endicott College |
| First Base |
Jacqueline Paul |
Babson College |
| Second Base |
Lexi Morris |
Babson College |
| Third Base |
Jill Pulek |
Johnson & Wales |
| Shortstop |
Julia Huzi |
Johnson & Wales |
| Outfield |
Michelle Adelman |
Tufts |
| Outfield |
Samantha Witmer |
Trinity |
| Outfield |
Melissa Rothenberg |
Brandeis University |
| Utility/Pitcher |
Jordan Day |
Lesley |
| DP/Utility non-Pitcher |
Dina DiBlasio |
Western New England |
| |
|
|
| |
Third Team |
|
| Position |
Name |
Institution |
| Pitcher |
Kristina Haghdan |
Tufts |
| Pitcher |
Sophia DiCocco |
Tufts |
| Pitcher |
Jen Jones |
Husson |
| Pitcher |
Jennelle Munoz |
Eastern Nazarene |
| Catcher |
Ashley Tinsman |
Southern Maine |
| First Base |
Morgan Cournoyer |
Bridgewater State |
| Second Base |
Emma Della Volpe |
Tufts |
| Third Base |
Carolyn Biel |
Eastern Connecticut
|
| Shortstop |
Madison Rock |
Thomas |
| Shortstop |
Aurora Adams |
Eastern Nazarene |
| Outfield |
Taylor Brandt |
Eastern Nazarene |
| Outfield |
Kasey Cunningham |
Bowdoin |
| Outfield |
Jadynne Hill |
Emmanuel |
| Utility/Pitcher |
Alex Cohen |
Brandeis |
| DP/Utility non-Pitcher |
Kelly McGuigan |
Williams |
-cac-
