LOUISVILLE, Ky. – LSU junior Bianka Bell and Oklahoma senior Shelby Pendley, along with UCLA senior Ally Carda were selected the 2015 Louisville Slugger/NFCA Division I National Co-Players and Pitcher of the Week, respectively, for games played over March 9-15.
Bell was nearly unflappable at the plate as she led all LSU player with 10 hits as the Tigers earned a series win over previously No. 1 and undefeated Florida Gators for the first time since 2006 which catapulted them to No. 1 for the first time in program history as well. The Tampa, Fla. native batted .714 (10-14) with eight RBI, five runs and recorded a base hit in her first six at bats of the series. She earned her first four-hit game (4-for-4) of her career amid three multi-hit outings and drove in a career-high five runs in Sunday’s series clinching win. Bell’s lone home run of the week happened to be the go-ahead three-run shot that broke a 3-3 deadlock. She would knock in two more during the contest with a double.
Pendley, a native of Rio Rancho, N.M, put on a power display last weekend with seven home runs, two doubles and a staggering 2.538 slugging percentage. Homering in all four games, Pendley set a program record by leaving the yard in her fifth straight game. It also marked the ninth time in NCAA Division I history a player has accomplished that feat. In addition, she batted .769 (10-13), recorded 10 runs and 14 RBI and posted a .824 on base percentage. In two games against the Pirates, she was 6-for-8 with a double, five home runs, 11 RBI and six runs scored. Following a three-homer, six-RBI effort in the first meeting, she went 3-for-5 with a double, two long balls, six RBI and three runs scored.
“It really is an honor to be recognized as the national player of the week,” Pendley said. “And while I had a great weekend, I have to give credit to my teammates and coaches for helping me with my success. This is a great personal accomplishment, but I’m more excited to see what this team has in store for the rest of the season.”
Carda, a senior from Elk Grove, Calif., factored in all four victories for No. 11 UCLA, earning three wins, including a complete-game effort over then-No. 15 Baylor, and one save. She struck out 30 in 20 innings and surrendered just seven hits, two runs and one walk. She began the week by tying a career high with 14 strikeouts against the Bears, while limiting her opponent to three hits and not walking a batter.
“It is a humbling privilege to receive this award for the second straight week,” Carda said. “I have just been focusing on keeping things simple out on the mound and my teammates allow for me to do that. They have been clutch both offensively and defensively, and I know that regardless of the outcome on the mound, they always have my back.”
In the SEC series against Utah, she twirled a two-hit complete game shutout (7K, 0BB) in the series-opening 1-0 victory. Carda followed that with a two-inning no-hit save in game two and closed out the week striking out seven and allowing just two hits in four innings of work in the finale. She finished the week with a 0.70 ERA and held her opponents to a .104 batting average.
“The success of this UCLA program has been dominance in the circle,” head coach Kelly Inouye-Perez said. “Ally has been working closely with Lisa Fernandez and it showed this weekend. She got stronger in every situation. It’s great for Ally to be recognized for the work she is putting in for this last lap as a Bruin.”
Player of the Week
March 17 – Bianka Bell (LSU)
Shelby Pendley (Oklahoma)
March 10 – Kacie Burnett (Idaho State)
March 3 – A.J. Andrews (LSU)
Feb. 24 – Jenna Lilley (Oregon)
Feb. 17 – Lauren Haeger (Florida)
Feb. 10 – Lindsey Stephens (Texas)
Pitcher of the Week
March 17 – Ally Carda (UCLA)
March 10 – Ally Carda (UCLA)
March 3 – Delanie Gourley (Florida)
Feb. 24 – Cheridan Hawkins (Oregon)
Feb. 17 – Shelby Turnier (UCF)
Feb. 10 – Miranda Kramer (Western Kentucky)
Selected Top Performances
Creighton’s Liz Dike, over an eight-game stretch, batted .520 (13-25) with a double, triple, four home runs, 14 RBI, 10 runs scored, a .567 OBP and 1.120 slugging percentage to garner Big East Player of the Week honors… Teammate Syndee Eck garnered the Big East Pitcher of the Week nod after a 3-0 week with a 0.00 ERA, 16 strikeouts and just one walk, allowing a run and tossing two complete-game shutouts… AAC Player of the Week, USF’s Lee Ann Spivey, batted .476 (10-21) with a double, two home runs, 12 RBI and nine runs scored… Kristen Brown of North Carolina garnered ACC Player of the Week honors after batting .538 (7-13) with a double, four home runs, 12 RBI, eight runs scored and a 1.538 slugging percentage… North Dakota State’s Krista Menke earned Summit League Pitcher of the Week honors after tossing two complete-game shutouts with 29 strikeouts and just three hits surrendered in 14 innings of work… Pac-12 Player of the Week, Koral Costa of Oregon, was 5-for-8 (.625) with a double, two home runs, six RBI and five runs scored in series sweep of Oregon State… UCF’s Mackenzie Audas went 4-0 with a 0.66 ERA and 59 punchouts in 32 innings to garner AAC Pitcher of the Week honors… Kendall Settlemyre of USC Upstate took home Atlantic Sun Co-Player of the Week honors after launching two grand slams and four home runs in all with 12 RBI and a .348 batting average… Atlantic Sun Co-Player of the Week, Dani Devlin of Northern Kentucky batted .563 (9-16) with three doubles, two home runs, eight RBI and eight runs scored to earn program’s first POTW honor… James Madison’s Jailyn Ford was selected CAA Pitcher of the Week and UCF Spring Fling MVP as she went 3-0 with a 0.00 ERA and 26 strikeouts; allowed just two base runners to reach with a hit and walk in 17.1 innings… WCC Player of the Week, Kailey Hill of San Diego, launched five home runs in six games with six RBI and a .438 average… Mercer’s Kirsten Stevens was selected Southern Conference Pitcher of the Week after going 4-0 without allowing a run in 26 innings; she struck out 19, did not walk a batter and held opponents to a .174 average… South Carolina’s Nickie Blue, the SEC Pitcher of the Week, posted a 3-1 mark with a 0.55 ERA and 23 strikeouts; she earned a complete-game shutout against Tennessee… All four of Georgia State’s Ivie Drake’s hits left the yard as she batted .500, knocked in eight and scored five times on her way to Sun Belt Player of the Week honors… Conference USA Pitcher of the Week, Western Kentucky’s Miranda Kramer, struck out 38, posted a 1.80 ERA and posted a no-hitter against UTSA… Southland Pitcher of the Week, Jamie Allred of McNeese State went 2-0 with a save and 0.00 ERA… Norfolk State’s Alina Moriarty totaled 10 hits with three home runs, two doubles, six RBI and six runs to earn MEAC Player of the Week honors… Oregon’s Cheridan Hawkins tossed to complete-game shutouts, including no-hitter in the opener against Oregon State, with 10 punchouts and three walks in 11.1 innings… CAA Rookie of the Week Megan Good of James Madison went 4-0, tossing three complete games, including two shutouts with a 0.28 ERA and 27 strikeouts in 25.1 innings… Louisville’s Maryssa Becker was 2-0 with a 0.47 ERA and a save; she struck out 18, held opponents to a .189 batting average and tossed a complete-game shutout in series opening win over Virginia… Jade Rhodes of Auburn batted .571 (4-7) with four home runs, eight RBI and five runs scored… George Washington’s Sarah Costlow went 6-0 with a 1.22 ERA and two complete game shutouts in 34.1 innings of work last week… Troy’s Hannah Day batted .538 with a double, triple, home run and 12 RBI, including a pair of five-RBI games against Appalachian State.
