Photo Courtesy of SEC
Player of the Week
Madison Shipman • Tennessee
Senior • Valencia, Calif.
• Madison Shipman bashed five home runs with eight RBIs, seven runs, a 1.750 slugging percentage and a .600 on-base percentage (2.350 OPS).
• Played a major role in No. 4 Tennessee’s big 13-5, five-inning win over Tennessee Tech on April 8. She went 2-for-3 with a three-run homer that sparked a seven-run first inning and a solo homer in the second inning.
• In Tennessee’s three-game series at No. 21 Texas A&M, Shipman hit .444 (4-for-9) with three home runs, four RBIs and four runs. She hit a solo home run in Tennessee’s 4-1 loss at Texas A&M in Game 1 of the series on April 11. That home run set a new single-season career high for Shipman.
• Went 3-for-4 and bashed two home runs in UT’s 15-2, five-inning rout of the Aggies on April 12, knocking a solo shot in the third and a two-run blast in the fourth.
• With five home runs on the week, Shipman moved to third place on Tennessee’s all-time list. Shipman now has 40 career homers and trails only Tonya Callahan (51 from 2005-08) and Lauren Gibson (46 from 2010-13).
Pitcher of the Week
Alison Owen • Mississippi State
Senior • Newnan, Ga.
• Owen guided Mississippi State to a 2-2 week in four games against top-15 opponents. She started the final two games against No. 3/2 Alabama and surrendered just 10 hits in 16.2 innings versus the Crimson Tide.
• Yielded three runs on four hits in two innings against No. 15 South Alabama on Wednesday.
• Saturday against Alabama, Owen earned her second victory of the campaign against a ranked foe. She struck out 12, the most whiffs for the Crimson Tide since 12 on Feb. 15 at No. 24 Arizona. Owen retired Alabama in order in five of the seven innings and was perfect through the first three-and-two-thirds frames. Of the final six outs of the game, five were recorded via a strikeout. She retired the final seven batters she faced.
• Earning the start again Sunday, Owen retired the first six batters to extend the streak to 13 consecutive sent down. She scattered eight hits, six singles, in the near complete-game performance. She only struck out one, but recorded 18 fly or pop outs to keep Alabama in check.
• Owen enters the week with 443 career strikeouts, just eight shy of the MSU all-time record.
Freshman of the Week
Kelli Schkade • Missouri
OF • Albany, Texas
• Batted 6-for-16 (.375) in Mizzou’s perfect 5-0 week, including a road sweep of SEC foe and 20th-ranked Auburn.
• Clutch bat came through for Mizzou in the sweep-clinching, 7-6 win at No. 20 Auburn (April 13), as she launched a solo home run to left center field with two outs in the top of the seventh inning to put her squad up 7-5 on AU.
• Hit 2-for-4 in the series finale at Auburn, also recording one RBI on a fielder’s choice grounder with one out, beating out the throw to first base to prevent the inning-ending double play.
• Superb performance in Mizzou’s 5-0 win over Western Illinois in the nightcap of the doubleheader on April 9, going 3-for-4 at the plate with a single, double and triple to her credit.
• Matched her career-best in walks with two in the 8-6 win at No. 20 Auburn on Saturday, April 12, the series-clincher.
• Six base knocks over the five wins for the Tigers included one double, one triple and one home run, amounting to a .750 slugging percentage on the week.
