Rock Valley College captured its seventh consecutive NJCAA DIII Softball Championship, setting a new record from their previous one for most consecutive national titles across all three NJCAA divisions. The Golden Eagles capped the season with a 51-7 record, the program's fourth consecutive 50-win season. The Golden Eagles would defeat the Red Barron's for the second time in two days by a score of 13-2 to capture the National Championship. The Golden Eagles would outscore their opponents by a score of 57-3 over the three day tournament showcasing why they were one of the Nations Top offensive teams regardless of division.
The Golden Eagles got off to a hot start at the 2021 NJCAA DIII Softball National Tournament. Game one saw RVC face off against the #8 seed Rainy River in the national quarter final. The Golden Eagles would jump out on the Voyager's 17-0 in the first two innings, before finally finishing the game in the 5
thinning due to run rule 25-0.Â
Kenadee Nelson would get the win in the circle while throwing a no hitter. Relief pitchersÂ
Hannah Hockerman andÂ
Jenna Lawson would come in and complete the game both not allowing a hit the rest of the game.  Â
The Golden Eagles would continue to show why they were the top ranked team in this years tournament by defeating the #4 seeded North Dakota SCS 11-1. Stony Brook signeeÂ
Ashton Melaas took home the win in the circle for game two.Â
The Golden Eagles would defeat the Red Barron's 8-0 in the semi-finals game in six innings due to run rule capturing their 50th win of the season.Â
Ashton Melaas would get the win in the circle while only allowing one hit in the game and throwing five strikeouts. RVC was lead on the offensive side of the game byÂ
Alyssa Ranchero (2) RBI,Â
Kelli Riordan,Â
Elizabeth Schriner,Â
Scout Kram each with 1 RBI respectively, andÂ
Kayla Freiberg who had 3 hits in 4 at bats along with 1 RBI.
A great two-year career at RVC came to a close for outfielderÂ
Trinity Fry, but not before completing her tenure as a Golden Eagle as the tournament's Most Valuable Player. A 2020 campaign was cut short for Fry due to the COVID-19 pandemic but that didn't stop her determination to become a two time National Champion. Fry hit for .538 batting average in the National Tournament with 4 RBIs a triple and two doubles.
Ashton Melaas was named the National Tournament's Most Outstanding Pitcher In three appearances in the tournament, Melaas earned three wins with a 1.22 earned run average to go along with 15 strikeouts.
Kaya Freiberg was named the Offensive MVP of the Tournament. Freiberg hit .500 for the tournament with 4 RBIs. Kristin Fudge, andÂ
Kaitlin Regnier were all named to the All-Tournament team.Â
RVC head coachÂ
Darin Monroe was named Coach of the Tournament for the seventh straight year after guiding the Golden Eagles to their seventh national championship since 2011. "It's been probably the toughest year of my professional life, "Monroe said. "But to see that final out recorded, and that dog pile out there on the field, it just makes everything we have done at RVC to get to this point worth it." Stated Monroe
Awards
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Ashton Melaas
- National Pitcher of the Year
- NFCAÂ ALL-American
- NJCAA DIII National Tournament Pitcher of the Tournament
- NJCAA All-Tournament Team
- N4C All-Conference
- NJCAA All-Region
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Kelli Riordan
- NFCA NJCAA DIII Player of the Year
- N4C Conference MVP
- NJCAA All-Region
- Region IV All-Tournament Team
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Alyssa Ranchero
- NJCAA All-American
- N4C All-Conference
- NJCAA All-Region
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Trinity Fry
- NJCAA National Tournament MVP
- NFCA All-American
- NJCAA All-Region
- N4C All-Conference
- NJCAA All-American
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Jenna Green
- NFCA NJCAA DIII Catcher of the Year
- NFCA All-American
- N4C All-conference
- NJCAA All-region
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Kenadee Nelson
- N4C All-Conference
- NJCAA All-Region
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Kayla Freiberg
- National Tournament Offensive MVP
- NJCAA All-Region
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Hannah Hockerman
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Kaitie Regnier
- NJCAA National All-Tournament Team
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Kirstin Fudge
- NJCAA National All-Tournament Team
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Darin Monroe
- N4C Coach of the Year
- Region IV Coach of the Year
- NJCAA Coach of the Tournament
- NFCA National Coaching Staff of the Year
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Season Leaders
| Batting Average |
Alyssa Ranchero, .488 |
| Home Runs |
Kayla Freiberg, 11 |
| RBI |
Kelli Riordan, 65 |
| Runs |
Kelli Riordan, 75 |
| Stolen Bases |
Isabella Tauscher, 18 |
| Wins |
Ashton Melaas, 19 |
| ERA |
Ashton Melaas, 2.42 |
| Strikeouts |
Ashton Melaas, 170 |
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