From Case Western Reserve University Athletics
Junior outfielder Ashley Parello (Venetia, Pa./Peters Township) was named MVP as one of three from Case Western Reserve University selected to the 2014 University Athletic Association Softball Championship All-Tournament Team.
Parello is a first-time UAA All-Tournament honoree and is joined by junior second baseman Molly O'Brien (Northbrook, Ill./Loyola), now a three-time selection, and junior outfielder/designated player Gena Roberts (Miami, Fla./Palmer-Trinity), a first-time pick.
The Spartans (10-6) finished the UAA Championship in a three-way tie for first place with Emory University (Ga.) and Washington University in St. Louis. The conference title was CWRU's fourth all-time and first since 1999.
In eight games at the championship, Parello batted .407 (11-of-27) with four homeruns, two doubles and 14 RBI. She tied for first amongst conference players in homers, ranked second in RBI, and led the way with a .926 slugging percentage. In a 6-5 upset of then No. 9 nationally ranked Emory on March 13, Parello hit a pair of two-run homers. In the second game of the day versus Brandeis University (Mass.), she hit a grandslam in her first at-bat to run her streak to three-consecutive with a homer.
O'Brien, who has been named to the UAA All-Tournament Team in each of her three seasons, hit .364 with two homers, eight RBI, eight runs scored and three stolen bases in three attempts. For the season, she is hitting .400 with team bests of 17 runs and eight steals. In addition to her all-tournament team honors, O'Brien was a first-team All-UAA and NFCA All-Central Region pick in 2013. She is a career .380 hitter with 92 runs scored and a school-record 46 stolen bases.
Roberts tied for the league best with a .462 batting average during the championship. She also added seven RBI and five walks. Roberts is a two-time All-UAA honoree in her career as well as a 2012 NFCA All-Central Region selection. In 94 career games, she has batted .371 with 14 HRs and 81 RBI. She already ranks third in program history in homers and fifth in RBI.