Galloway, NJ – Four members of the Stockton University softball team were selected NJAC all-conference for the 2019 season. Junior
Alexandra Cosenzo (East Hanover/Hanover Park) led the way by being named to the NJAC First Team, her third consecutive NJAC postseason honor.
Senior
Casey Schieda (Monroe Twp./Monroe Twp.), sophomore
Liani Ortiz (Marlton/Cherokee) and freshman
Lilly James (Roseland/West Essex) were NJAC Second Team selections. Schieda collected her second straight accolade while Ortiz and James received their first NJAC honors.
Cosenzo earned an NJAC First Team spot after two straight NJAC Second Team nods with a .311 batting average, 38 hits, three homers (T-9th in NJAC), 28 RBI (T-10th in NJAC) and 16 walks (T-6th in NJAC). Cosenzo, who has started all 41 games, was even better in NJAC play, batting .340 with 18 hits, 11 RBI and a .528 slugging percentage in 18 league games.
With one year still to play, Cosenzo already owns Stockton's all-time marks for home runs (18) and RBI (111) in a career. The junior became the program's leader in each category this season, with a homer against Worcester State on March 12 and three RBI versus New Jersey City on April 27.
Schieda picked up her second straight NJAC Second Team honor after another outstanding season. Starting all 41 games at third base, she has batted .333 for the season, scored 32 runs (9th in NJAC) and added 39 hits and 26 RBI. Schieda leads the NJAC with 24 walks and is one away from the single-season mark set by
Katelyn Derewecki in 2011.
Like her teammates, the senior has been better during conference play, with a robust .377 average, 20 hits, 13 runs, six doubles and a .547 slugging percentage. Ten of her free passes have come in NJAC games. Schieda also has been solid in the field, committing just five errors in 86 chances (.942 fielding pct.) during league games.
Schieda is second in Stockton history in walks (62), fourth in runs (90), tied for fourth in homers (12) and sixth in doubles (30). She reached the 100-hit milestone against Alvernia on March 19 and has 129 hits for her career.
Ortiz has had a breakout season after being inserted into the lineup in early April. The sophomore has hit .380 in 25 games, including 20 starts, with 19 hits (14 in NJAC play), five doubles and three home runs, all of which came in conference play. Ortiz has 19 RBI, with nine in league games, and a huge .660 slugging percentage overall. She has not made an error in 19 chances in the outfield.
James has had a solid rookie year at shortstop for the Ospreys. Starting all 41 games, the freshman is batting .307 with 27 runs, 35 hits, five doubles and her first two career home runs, both in NJAC games. James has 22 RBI, 16 of them in league play.
In addition, James batted .377 in 18 NJAC games, with 20 hits, 13 runs, four doubles and an outstanding .569 slugging percentage. She was named NJAC Rookie of the Week once this year, on April 15.