Softball Player Of The Year Finalists Announced

Wednesday, May 23rd 2007, 6:44 pm

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- Tennessee pitcher Monica Abbott, Arizona State outfielder Kaitlin Cochran and Oklahoma first baseman Samantha Ricketts are named the finalists today for the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year award.

The Amateur Softball Association will present the award in Oklahoma City on Tuesday prior to the Women's College World Series.

All three finalists have had record-breaking seasons.

Abbott, a senior, has overtaken the NCAA career records for wins, strikeouts, shutouts and appearances this season. She is 44-3 this season with a 0.60 ERA and leads the NCAA with 629 strikeouts.

Cochran leads the nation with a .497 batting average. The sophomore set Arizona State's school record with 90 hits and 18 home runs so far this season and she also has 27 stolen bases.

Ricketts, a sophomore for the Sooners, is hitting .424 and leads the nation with 81 RBIs.