There was no sophomore slump for Abbey Fortin.
Fortin followed up her first year with the Long Island University (LIU) Post Pioneers women’s softball team by being named East Coast Conference (ECC) player of the year award last week (May 4).
She won the ECC rookie of the year in 2017.
Fortin had a breakout second season with the Pioneers, hitting .411 with a league-best 15 home runs and 56 RBIs. Thirty-two of her 74 hits went for extra-bases. She also got things done with her glove, as the outfielder had a .985 fielding percentage.
“I was surprised to win the award because we have so many great players in our conference and on my team,” the 20-year-old said.
And Fortin added even more hardware over the weekend after she was named most outstanding player as the Pioneers won the East Coast Conference championship with a 4-1 win on Saturday over Molloy College.
Fortin smashed a solo home run in the victory to give her team the lead for good.
The Pioneers are seeded fourth in the East Regional for this week’s NCAA Division II softball tournament.
Last season, Fortin batted .257 with 13 home runs and 29 RBIs.
“We really meshed well and have good chemistry and that has helped us a lot on the field as well as off,” she explained about freshman year vs. sophomore year.
Fortin is a 2016 Walnut Grove Secondary alum and played in the White Rock Renegades program.
“The biggest adjustment since I got to college ball was the level of competition being so high,” she said, adding it has also been a challenge being so far away from home.
“I have fantastic coaches and teammates that eased the transition but it is always difficult being away from your family and your home.”
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