Cal (Pa.) softball's Caleigh Rister earns national freshman award

Caleigh Rister made quite a splash in her debut for the Cal (Pa.) softball team this spring.

The two-way standout from Bucyrus, Ohio, recently was selected the Schutt Sports/National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Division II National Freshman of the Year.

Rister is the first player from the Atlantic Region, comprised of more than 40 teams in three conferences, to earn this national honor established in 2015.

She also was one of four freshman selected to the NFCA All-American Team as a second-team pick at utility/pitcher and was the lone freshman tabbed to three Division II Conference Commissioners Association All-American teams.

Rister ranked among the top 10 in the Atlantic Region with both a 1.58 earned-run average and a 1.389 OPS (on-base percentage plus slugging percentage).

She led Cal in nearly every offensive and pitching category while serving as the team’s leadoff hitter.

Rister is the first player in PSAC history to earn multiple major awards in the same season since 2015.

She was selected as both the PSAC West Pitcher of the Year and PSAC West Freshman of the Year.

Rister posted a 13-4 record with 11 complete games and five shutouts in 102 innings over 20 appearances in the pitching circle.

She won all seven decisions in divisional play.

Rister was especially strong during a trip to Florida in March as she went 4-1 with a 0.24 ERA over 28 2/3 innings.

At the plate, she batted .415 with a .560 on-base percentage and scored 36 runs while pounding out 20 extra-base hits.

She was second on the team with 23 RBIs despite missing six games because of injury.