Raelyn Payne Named SLIAC Softball Player of the Year; Kate LeMasters selected Second Team
PEORIA, Ill. – Eureka's Raelyn Payne (Lexington, Ill./Lexington) became the second Red Devil in program history to be named St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Softball Player of the Year on Thursday.
The senior was also selected to the All-SLIAC First Team for the second straight year, while freshman Kate LeMasters (Metamora, Ill./Metamora) received All-SLIAC Second Team honors.
Payne joins Sydney Shubert (2019) as the only two Eureka players to ever receive the conference's top honor in softball. She is only the third SLIAC player to ever receive both SLIAC Newcomer of the Year and SLIAC Player of the Year in a career, following Fontbonne's Marissa Simon (2011 and 2013, respectively) and Webster's Kelsey Washam (2007 and 2008, respectively).
In 2019, Payne started her collegiate career by receiving Second Team All-SLIAC honors, being named SLIAC Newcomer of the Year and helping lead the Red Devils to their first SLIAC league and tournament titles in program history. She ends it as one of the most accomplished Eureka players in the nearly five-decade history of the program.
In 20 conference games this season, Payne led the league in nine batting categories: batting average (.581), on-base percentage (.641), slugging percentage (.919), hits (36), walks (19), doubles (14), stolen bases (30), total bases (57) and extra-base hits (17). With her fast hands at the plate and impressive speed on the basepaths, Payne only struck out twice and collected double the number of stolen bases of anyone else in the conference. She also led the league in assists with 61 on the left side of the infield.
The Red Devils' four-year starting shortstop and leadoff hitter finished the season with a .541/.610/.853 slash line while racking up a career-high total of 59 hits, 21 doubles and two triples, along with three home runs.
In 136 plates appearances over the course of 36 games, she drew a career-best total of 21 walks while striking out a career-high low three times all season. She also drove in 28 RBI, scored a career-high 54 runs, tallied a career-high 26 extra-base hits and was one base shy of meeting her career best with 93 total bases.
Her 45 stolen bases were the most recorded in a single season in program history. She was one run shy of tying the single-season record in runs scored in a season and six doubles shy of tying the single-season doubles record. She recorded the third-best batting average (.541), the fourth-most hits (59), the fourth-best slugging percentage (.853) and tied for the fourth most walks (21) by a Red Devil in a single season.
This spring, Payne posted 19 multi-hit games, had at least three hits eight times and contributed at least two-extra base hits three times. On April 3, she belted two doubles and a home run while driving in three runs in a big 4-0 win over Blackburn.
The 5-foot-4 former outfielder also continued to show improvement at shortstop, recording a career-high .918 fielding percentage, with 103 assists and 87 putouts in 207 chances. She helped turn seven double plays for the second time in her career and first since her freshman year.
At her season's end, Payne ranked second in NCAA Division III in on-base percentage (.610), second in doubles (21), tied for sixth in runs per game (1.5) and eighth in doubles per game (.58),
Payne left her mark all over the Red Devils' all-time record book. With her remarkable career complete, she is ranked second in program history in batting average at .485, second in stolen bases with 55 and is tied for second in home runs with 14. She also ranks third in hits (167), walks (50), runs scored (134) and doubles (42).
"I am so happy for Raelyn," EC softball coach Juell Hodges said. "In addition to being a tremendous player, she has been a great example for our young team this entire season. She set a standard for the future, and her legacy will continue on in the years to come."
LeMasters, meanwhile, made a name for herself in the conference as a strong No. 2 hitter in the Red Devils' order and a dependable glove in left field. In conference play this season, she slashed .339/.473/.542 with 20 hits, 20 RBI and 19 runs scored. She contributed two doubles, two triples and two home runs.
She finished the SLIAC season ranked second in the league in getting hit by a pitch (four), tied for third in walks (11), fourth in stolen bases (11), tied for fifth in home runs (two) and tied for sixth with Payne in triples (two).
LeMasters notched five multi-hit games and drove in two or more runs in a game five times. She recorded less than five errors in 20 conference games in left field, tallying 27 putouts and two assists in 33 chances.
Junior utility player and No. 2 pitcher Christine Mepham (Bourbonnais, Ill./Bradley-Bourbonnais) was Eureka's representative on the SLIAC All-Sportsmanship Team.