Name Megan Baltzell | ||
 | ||
Megan Baltzell Team USA Video
Megan Baltzell (born November 24, 1993) is an American, former collegiate All-American, left-handed hitting softball catcher originally from Stafford, Virginia. She played her college career at Longwood University from 2012-2015 and set various school records. She is the Big South career leader in slugging percentage, walks and runs in only three seasons. She is also one of eight NCAA Division I players to hit a career .400 with 200 RBIs, 50 home runs and an .800% slugging percentage.
Contents
Longwood University
Baltzell graduated from Mountain View High School where she played softball, basketball and volleyball. She began her Longwood Lancers career by tying the school season record for walks and leading the team in eight offensive categories as a freshman. In her debut on February 11, 2012, Baltzell went (3/5) with a solo home run to score the winning run over the Western Carolina Catamounts. The Lancers spent that year as an Independent before joining the Big South.
Baltzell was named a 2013 National Fastpitch Coaches Association Second Team All-American to accompany First Team All-Big South conference honors. Baltzell was the first in school history to merit the NFCA honor as she broke and set surviving school records with career best in RBIs and home runs; both led and were the top conference season records, of which the home run mark still lasts. Her season hits, slugging (conference best), walks (Longwood season best) and runs still all rank top-5 at the school. Finally, Baltzell led the Nation with her homers and ranked top-5 in slugging. On March 5, Baltzell stole a career high three stolen bases vs. the Winthrop Eagles.
For a second year, Baltzell earned conference First Team honors and added a "Player of The Year" distinction. She broke her own record for walks, in addition her average (career best), slugging and doubles remain top-5 season records. In the conference, Baltzell too set the walks mark and led for the year in average, slugging and on base percentage.
On March 1, 2014, Baltzell achieved a career high 4 hits vs. the Indiana Hoosiers, she would go on to match it again later that year. March 15-April 12, the Lancer batted to a 21 consecutive game hit streak. She hit .547 (35/64) with 25 RBIs, 4 homers, a triple, 8 doubles, 10 walks, 7 steals and slugging .890%, with just two strikeouts over the span. The streak is a top-5 school record.
For a final year, Baltzell earned First Team honors from the conference and was again recognized "Player of The Year." She was later named Big South Female Athlete of The Year. She broke and set school records in slugging and walks (both career highs and the conference benchmarks), the RBI, home runs, on base percentage, runs and stolen bases were top-5 all-time for a Lancer season. Baltzell led the conference in and ranked top-5 in all the same categories for the NCAA, excluding steals.
On opening day, February 6, 2015, she hit her 50th career home run off Tara Tursellino of the Delaware State Hornets. Later on April 4, she would collect her 200th career RBI vs. the Campbell Fighting Camels; connecting for a game-winning, three-run homer to do it. Baltzell set personal single game records in RBIs when she brought in 7 vs. Gardner-Webb Runnin' Bulldogs on May 7 by swatting two home runs, a grand slam among them; the next day walking 4 times in a game with the Charleston Southern Buccaneers, Baltzell won the game scoring on a wild pitch. The Lancers made the NCAA tournament and were able to win a game, their first, but were eliminated on May 16. In her final appearance, Baltzell was one of two to get a hit when she singled in the first, losing to the Utah Utes.
Baltzell completed her studies at Longwood with the career crown in RBIs, hits, home runs, doubles, slugging, walks and runs. She is top-5 in average and stolen bases. For the Big South, she counts for the seasons 2013-15, Baltzell leads in slugging (.952%), walks (141) and runs (195); she stands top-10 in average (.420), RBIs (195), home runs (67) and doubles (43). In all of the NCAA, she ranks in home runs (9th), slugging percentage (5th) and with an amassed 5 grand slams (6th).