BY CLIFF SMELLEY
Hannah McFarland, a 2022 Bradford High School graduate, was one of three Dakota State University players honored at the North Star Athletic Association softball awards ceremony.
McFarland, a sophomore, was a first-team all-conference selection as an outfielder, while also receiving a Gold Glove Award after a season in which she had a perfect fielding percentage, with 79 put-outs and three assists. She started in center field in all 39 games.
The BHS alumnus led Dakota State in batting average (.387), on-base percentage (.497), slugging percentage (.478), walks (23), runs scored (35) and stolen bases (26). She also hit nine doubles, which was second on the team.
McFarland was third in the North Star Athletic Association in batting and led the conference in stolen bases.
One of her season highlights included her performance in a March 15 double-header against Mayville State. McFarland went 2 for 3 with two doubles, an RBI, three runs scored, a walk and a stolen base in the first game, while in the second game she went 3 for 4 with a double, an RBI, four runs scored, two walks and two stolen bases.
McFarland went a combined 7 for 13 in a four-game series (April 5-6) against Valley City State. She went 3 for 4 twice against Viterbro on April 13 and April 14, while in an April 20 double-header against Waldorf she was a combined 4 for 6 with two RBI, three runs scored, a walk and two stolen bases.
