McNulty, Sullivan Named First Team All-League

INDIANAPOLIS, IND. -- Senior Lauren McNulty (left) and junior Meaghan Sullivan (right) sparked Butler’s offensive attack this season and both were named to the first team on the 2012 Horizon League Softball All-League Team, released by the league office on Tuesday, May 8.  A third Butler player, freshman Kristen Boros, was chosen to the league’s All-Newcomer Team.

McNulty, who was named first team All-League for the second consecutive year, leads the Bulldogs in home runs (9), runs scored (35) and runs batted in (29).  The starting centerfielder in 52 of Butler’s 53 games, McNulty will carry a career-best .312 batting average in the 2012 Horizon League Softball Championship, May 9-12.

Sullivan, a starting infielder in 50 games this season, currently leads the Bulldogs with a .342 batting average.  She has a team-high 14 doubles and a team-best 53 hits, and she stands second in runs scored (33).

McNulty is tied for third in the Horizon League in home runs, while Sullivan ranks among the league leaders in batting and doubles.  Both players rank in the league’s “Top 10” in runs scored.

Boros is Butler’s second-leading hitter with a .326 average, and she leads the Bulldogs with two triples and 13 sacrifice bunts.  The first-year infielder has started 47 of 49 games this season.

Youngstown State outfielder Haley Thomas was named Horizon League Player of the Year, while Loyola’s Brittany Gardner was tabbed as the league Pitcher of the Year.  Valparaiso freshman Brittany Duncan was chosen league Newcomer of the Year, and Youngstown State’s Brian Campbell was selected league Coach of the Year.

Butler will begin play at the league tournament at top-seeded Valparaiso on Wednesday, May 9.  The Bulldogs, seeded fifth in the tournament, will meet No. 4 seed Youngstown State at 11 a.m. (CT).  The double-elimination tournament will conclude on Saturday, May 12.