In the batting order, Samantha Marder usually hits fourth for the Ohio State softball team and has ordered up 56 career home runs at the plate. Now, at Sloopy’s Diner, people can order a Sam Marder on their own plate at the Ohio Union.

The Sam Marder turkey bistro sandwich features turkey, Swiss cheese, coleslaw and A1 steak sauce on marble rye.
 

In Sloopy’s first annual Sandwich Club Awards, Marder, along with 12 other honorees, was selected to have a sandwich named after her for the 2010-2011 school year.
 

Students, faculty, staff and alumni were all eligible to apply or be nominated for this award.
 

“It is our honor to celebrate the people who strive to make a difference on our campus,” said Marie Thornhill, the Union’s special projects coordinator. “These awards honor those that embody the spirit of the Ohio Union and truly know what it is to be a Buckeye.”
 

Marder had no knowledge that she was in contention for this award.
 

“I thought it was a joke at first, honestly,” Marder said.
 

Valerie Kunze, a graduate student in the Moritz College of Law, was the individual who nominated Marder.
 

“I nominated Sam because I felt she represented a group of students that are doing something great at Ohio State University that most students don’t hear a lot about,” Kunze said. “Sam is a perfect example of all things that OSU values: diversity, hard work, perseverance, dedication and unconditional spirit.”
 

Marder exemplifies these values on and off the field. Besides hitting home runs, she is dedicated to getting OSU athletes involved with the student body through the Student-Athlete Advisory Board.
 

Although Marder appreciates the honor, her teammates have found fun to make jokes.
 

“The team totally makes fun of me all the time,” Marder said. “It’s ridiculous how much press I have gotten from this sandwich. I can’t believe it.”
 

But Marder has learned to cope with the constant joking, and she is pleased with her choice of sandwich.
 

A selection committee chose the 13 finalists and then double-checked for any dietary restrictions or preferences before assigning each winner a sandwich.
 

“The committee also took a careful look into each application/nomination and tried to pull key elements out of each to help select the perfect sandwich for each winner,” Thornhill said.
 

Some of the other sandwiches include a BLT, chicken, fish and a classic grilled cheese. But one specific sandwich stuck out in her mind.
 

“When I heard fried bologna, I was like ‘please, no. Let it not be me,’ but I was really happy with my sandwich,” Marder said. “I think it’s really good.”
 

Along with getting her name and a short biography on Sloopy’s menu, she also gets to enjoy one free meal with a guest from the restaurant during her award year.
 

Someone has already volunteered to keep her company at Sloopy’s.
 

Kunze said, “Maybe I’ll get a free sandwich out of the deal as her guest one of these quarters.”