ORANGE, Calif. – For the second year in a row, Rose Malen has been selected by the conference coaches as the SCIAC Pitcher of the Year. Shea Higa and Kloe Lobato joined Malen with All-SCIAC recognition.

Higa, a senior from Hawaii, earned a spot on the All-SCIAC First Team while Lobato, a freshman from Garden Grove, Calif., was selected to the Second Team. Both earned their first career All-SCIAC honor.

Malen was once again recognized as the conference's top pitcher following her senior season. The senior from San Rafael, Calif. earned the SCIAC's top pitching honor for the second time and her fourth career All-SCIAC First Team award.

She led all starters in the SCIAC with a 1.52 ERA in conference games on 64.2 innings. She also led SCIAC starters as opponents hit just .195 against her. She struck out 46 and walked just four, tossing a complete game in nine of her 10 SCIAC starts. She went 5-5 with a save.

Higa jumped into a starting role at shortstop for the first time in her career and made the most of it. She started in all 21 games, hitting .343 and leading the team with 11 runs scored. She also stole four bases and drove in three RBIs. In 67 at-bats during the SCIAC season, she struck out just three times but drew five walks.

Lobato started 20 of the Panthers' 21 SCIAC games at third base and led the team with a .345 bating average her first year. Her 14 RBIs led the team and ranked 12th in the conference. She slugged .500 on the SCIAC season with three doubles and three triples. Her three triples tied for the SCIAC lead. Defensively, she also played a solid third base with a .962 fielding percentage, committing just two errors.

The Panthers head to the SCIAC Tournament as the No. 2 seed on Friday and will open the double elimination tournament against No. 3 La Verne at 1 p.m.