Softball 5/21/2019 8:31:00 PM

Heath, McKittrick Nab All-America Honors

DENVER (May 23) – Record-setting slugger JoBi Heath and pitching ace Bailey McKittrick led Central Oklahoma to a sensational season in 2019 and both were rewarded with NCAA Division II All-America honors by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association Wednesday night.

Heath was named to the first-team at third base and McKittrick was selected a second-team pitcher in addition to earning Schutt Sports/NFCA Freshman of the Year accolades. They become the 19th and 20th All-Americans in school history, with Heath just the fifth first-team honoree.

The duo helped guide the Bronchos to a 48-8 record, the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association regular-season and tournament titles and a berth in the Division II Central Super Regional this season. The two were recognized at the NFCA All-America Banquet that was held on the eve of the Division II World Series.

"I couldn't be happier for JoBi and Bailey," head coach Cody White said. "They were amazing all season long and both are certainly deserving of being All-Americans.

"JoBi was unbelievable for us, both with her bat and her glove, and it's very rewarding to see her receive credit for the way she played. Bailey is one of the most mentally strong freshmen I've ever been around and I can't say enough about what she meant to our team."

Heath started all 231 of UCO's games during her sparkling four-year career and saved her best season for the last, putting together a senior campaign that rivals the best in school history.

The senior from Edmond Santa Fe High School batted .407, hit a single-season school-record 24 doubles, belted 15 home runs – the fifth-best at UCO – and drove in an amazing 77 runs, which ranks second on the school charts. She set UCO career marks for doubles (70) and RBI (226), with the RBI total also an all-time MIAA record.

Heath hit safely in 48 of UCO's 58 games, putting together hitting streaks of 11, 13 and 16 games. She led the team in multi-hit (24) and multi-RBI (24) games, finished with a .786 slugging percentage and batted a staggering .583 (21-for-36) with runners on third base and less than two outs.

McKittrick went 26-5 with one save and a 2.11 earned run average in 179.1 innings. She set a freshman school record for pitching wins and ended up third overall on UCO's single-season wins list while also finishing fifth in winning percentage (.839) and 10th in innings pitched.

The rookie right-hander from Moore High School started 26 of the 36 games she appeared in and tossed 17 complete games with three shutouts. McKittrick walked only 51 batters and opponents hit just .238 against her.

Click here for the complete list of 2019 Division II All-Americans.

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Players Mentioned

#13 JoBi Heath: IF/OF; 5' 7"; Senior; R/R

#27 Bailey McKittrick: P; 5' 7"; Freshman; R/R

Players Mentioned

#13 JoBi Heath
: 5' 7"; Senior; R/R
: IF/OF

#27 Bailey McKittrick
: 5' 7"; Freshman; R/R
: P

Players Mentioned

#13 JoBi Heath

#27 Bailey McKittrick

Players Mentioned

#13 JoBi Heath

#27 Bailey McKittrick