Lenahan, Bell Named To 2011 Freshman All-SEC Team
May 11, 2011 | Softball
STARKVILLE, Miss. - Mississippi State's Sam Lenahan and Briana Bell have enjoyed stellar freshman campaigns for the Bulldogs, and the SEC coaches took notice as the pair was named to the 2011 Freshman All-SEC Team Wednesday afternoon.
Lenahan was tabbed the team's catcher, while Bell was named one of the three outfielders on the squad.
"We are very proud of both Sam and Briana," MSU head coach Jay Miller said. "This honor is a tribute to the seasons they had. This is a great honor to start their careers at Mississippi State."
Lenahan, a Lawrenceville, Ga., native, enters this weekend's SEC Tournament hitting at a .282 clip that ranks as the fourth-highest on the squad.
A starter in all but one of the 54 games she played in, Lenahan made her mark on the MSU freshman record books this season. Her 12 doubles are the fifth-most by a Bulldog rookie and second on this year's team. She hit her eighth home run in last Friday's 8-6 win against No. 7 Georgia, tying her for third all-time in the rookie records.
She also stands third among MSU freshmen in slugging percentage (.563), fifth in RBI (35) and third in walks (28)
In conference action, Lenahan hit .254 with five doubles, four home runs and 13 RBI.
Lenahan not only made her mark at the plate, but she also excelled behind it on defense, throwing out a league-best 21 runners. She topped the conference by throwing out 14 would-be base stealers in SEC games.
Like Lenahan, Bell also made her mark in league play. An injury limited the Brandon, Fla., native to a reserve role for the first few weeks of the season, but she went on to become a staple in right field for the Dawgs.
Bell hit at a .250 clip this season, notching three doubles, two home runs, 13 RBI and 16 runs scored. In league play, Bell drove in eight runs and scored seven times.
She earned Bulldog Classic All-Tournament honors after hitting .750 to lead the Bulldogs to the tournament title. In State's upset of then-No. 22 Texas A&M, Bell hit her first collegiate home run. She earned her first start in the nightcap and went 2-for-3 with a double and RBI in a win against Mississippi Valley State.
In her second SEC game, Bell sparked MSU to a sweep of South Carolina with two hits and a season-high four RBI.
She collected two hits, including a double, and drove in two runs in MSU's upset of No. 4 Tennessee, and she scored twice in last Friday's series-opening win against No. 7 Georgia.
Lenahan, Bell and the rest of the Dawgs meet fourth-ranked Alabama in the opening round of the 2011 SEC Tournament. The game, which is scheduled for a 6:30 p.m. first pitch, will be broadcast live on ESPN2. A free audio stream will be available at www.mstateathletics.com/m2mlive.
