Fulk Receives State Coach of the Year honor

Bridgewater College head softball coach Donnie Fulk has been named the VaSID College Division Coach of the Year along with Lynchburg College head coach Dawn Simmons.

Fulk led the Eagles to a 36-11 overall record and the program’s second NCAA tournament appearance. The Eagles lost in the title game of the Salisbury bracket to the host Salisbury team, 2-1. Bridgewater finished the year ranked No. 18 in the final NFCA Division III Top 25 poll.

The Eagles also placed three players on the all-state first team and one on the second team.

Named to the first team were senior catcher Caity Butler, senior outfielder Kaitlyn Bowman and junior pitcher Ashley Gills.

Butler hit for a .333 average and finished the season with 36 RBIs. She led the team in homers with five. Bowman, who finished her career as BC’s all-time leader in hits, homers and RBIs, hit .362 with three homers and 33 RBIs. Gills finished 16-5 on the season with a 0.98 ERA.

Sophomore designated player Emily Morris was named to the second team. Morris led the Eagles in hitting with a .387 average and in RBIs with 38.