Menting, Tupa Repeat As All-Region Softball Selections
UW-Oshkosh senior catcher Abby Menting and junior outfielder Acacia Tupa both received NCAA Division III All-Great Lakes Region Second Team honors from the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA).
Menting garnered her third all-region award after being named to the First Team in 2016 and 2017. Tupa was chosen to the Second Team for the second straight year. Menting becomes the ninth Titan to be named all-region at least three times.
Menting and Tupa helped UW-Oshkosh rank second in the Great Lakes Region with a .972 fielding percentage. Tupa did not commit an error in 47 chances this season while Menting had a .987 fielding percentage in 166 chances and threw out nine baserunners attempting to steal.
With Tupa atop the Titan batting order and Menting hitting in the middle of the lineup throughout the season, UW-Oshkosh ranks sixth in the Great Lakes Region at 0.53 home runs per game, seventh with a .379 on-base percentage, eighth at 5.35 runs per game, ninth with a .430 slugging percentage and 10th with a .309 batting average.
Tupa hit .347 on the year and led the Titans with 27 runs scored, eight doubles, two triples and eight stolen bases. Her four home runs, 59 total bases and .584 slugging percentage all ranked second on the team. Tupa lists fifth in the WIAC in home runs, sixth in slugging percentage, seventh in runs batted in and stolen bases, eighth in runs scored and 10th in total bases.
Tupa recorded eight multiple-hit games this season, including three-hit efforts against UW-La Crosse, UW-River Falls and UW-Stout as she hit .409 during league play and led the WIAC with four home runs and 16 RBIs in the 14-game conference slate. During a six-game stretch against conference rivals between April 26 and May 3, Tupa hit .500 with nine runs scored, four doubles, three home runs, 12 runs batted in and two stolen bases.
Tupa opened conference play by going 5-for-7 at the plate during a doubleheader at UW-La Crosse with a pair of doubles, a home run, four RBIs and a stolen base. She later added three-hit games against UW-River Falls, UW-Stout and UW-Whitewater. Against Great Lakes Region opponents, Tupa hit .347 with 20 RBIs in 24 games.
Menting hit .348 on the year, tying for the team lead with 40 hits and eight doubles while hitting three home runs and driving in 23 runs. She got on base at a .500 clip during the conference regular season to rank second in the league. Menting's home run and five RBIs helped lead UW-Oshkosh to a doubleheader sweep of UW-Stout in mid-April.
Menting finished her senior season second on the team in home runs. Menting's RBI and walk totals as well as her .419 on-base percentage were third highest on the team as she batted .317 in 23 games against Great Lakes Region competition.
Menting concluded her standout career ranked third on the school's all-time list with 66 walks, sixth with 38 doubles and seventh with 17 home runs.
UW-Oshkosh's two All-Great Lakes Region selections tied for second most in the conference with UW-La Crosse, UW-River Falls and UW-Stout while UW-Whitewater had a league-leading three players receive recognition. Menting and Tupa were among 12 WIAC players named all-region as UW-Eau Claire and UW-Stevens Point both had one honoree.
A total of 364 players were chosen to the eight NFCA All-Region Teams. The All-Great Lakes Team included 15 players on both the First and Third Teams in addition to 16 players on the Second Team.