This past week sophomore Allie LeBlanc was named to the NFCA All-New England Team as a third team selection. In addition, She was named ECAC Player of the Week and for the second strait week, she was named MASCAC Player of the Week. After playing four games this past week in the MASCAC Tournament, LeBlanc extended her hitting streak to 26 games, which is the longest recorded hit streak in BSC softball history.LeBlanc finishes the season, (playing in all 43 contests) with a .395 batting average, with 2 home runs, 22 runs batted in, and 26 runs scored. While she may have led the team in hits (51) and doubles (12), stats aren't all that important to her.
"I dont like to think about stats, I might glance, but I try not to think about them," said LeBlanc. "I try not to look at stats too much because it can distract me from what I really want to try and do for my team. "
LeBlanc said that she had no idea she had a hit streak going until she happened to notice it last week while reading that she had been named MASCAC Player of the Week the first time online.
While Leblanc said that shes happy about the streak, but she said that she not too concerned about it. LeBlanc has the chance to keep her streak going when the softball team starts playing again next spring, during their annual pilgrimage to Kissimmee, Florida.
"If it continues (into next season) that's great, but its not what is important," said LeBlanc. "Florida is a time to get to play with a new team and learn about them on and off the field. That way when we get back to Massachusetts we are ready (to start) the season."
While her team is up at bat during the game, LeBlanc is very laid back and calm.
"I'm very loud in the dugout," said LeBlanc, with a smile. "I always try to smile to lighten up the mood a bit. If you play for a team, you play for your teamates and not yourself."
The softball team came very close to making the NCAA Regional Tournament, loosing a 1-0 heartbreaker to Framingham State in the Championship game, this past Sunday."I think towards the end of the season, we really came together," said LeBlanc. "We were a really young team and we had no seniors on the squad this year. It was tough because we all had to be leaders."
LeBlanc said that the softball team is a very close knit group of team mates that have big plans for next season.
"Off the field we are really close," said LeBlanc. "I think that we accomplished a lot in winning the MASCAC (regular season crown). Next year I think we will be so much more ready because for the season because of our experiences together."
In the offseason, LeBlanc said that she plans on working on her flexibility.
"I pulled both my quad and my tendon in my shoulder this season," said LeBlanc. "I guess that means that ill be working in the gym a lot more in the offseason and stretching like its my job."
LeBlanc is a sophomore and a native of Somerset, Massachusetts. She said that while Bridgewater State wasn't her first choice, she had no problem adjusting from a small school (of about a little more than 1,000 people) to a large campus of 6,000.
"Brigewater was not my first choice (of school), but it ended up being the best one," said LeBlanc. "I love the people here, I love the Athletics program and the size of the school is just right."
While LeBlanc likes the Bridgewater State, she sometimes isn't thrilled about commuting to campus.
"It can sometimes be a pain commuting," said LeBlanc. "Sometimes you have to be there late for practices or the 6 AM winter lifting sessions.
Despite commuting to BSC, one of the nice things about being on a softball team and having freinds is that there is always someone there to pick you up.
"Someone is always willing to have you sleep in their dorm room if I need it," said LeBlanc. "I love my freinds here."
Photos courtesy of Allie LeBlanc. They were shot while BSC was playing Westfield State during the regular season.
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