Courtesy of the West Coast Conference
SAN BRUNO, Calif.-Brigham Young University sophomore outfielder Mercedes O’Connor and sophomore pitcher McKenna Bull have been selected the West Coast Conference Softball Player and Pitcher of the Week, respectively, the league announced on Monday.
O’Connor helped the Cougars to a 13-6 mark with a four-game series at the Puerto Vallarta College Challenge Puerto in Vallarta, Mexico last week. The Huntington Beach, Calif., compiled a .867 slugging percentage and batted 3-for-5 with runners in scoring position. Her best outing came against Northern Colorado where she smacked two home runs and collected four RBI in the Cougars 5-4 come from behind win over the Bears. In the nightcap, O’Connor defense led BYU to an 8-0 win over Southern Illinois where she corralled four hits, three putouts, two RBI, and one stolen base. She rounded out the week, compiling a .400 on base percentage, while going 6-for-15 that include a double, two home runs, eight RBI and a stolen base.
Bull is 8-2 in her last 10 contests pitched, and improved to a 13-3 mark after hurling four games to move BYU to a conference best overall mark with 13 wins. In the circle, she registered a perfect 4-0 outing securing wins against Nevada (7-5), Northern Colorado (5-4), Southern Illinois (8-0) and (8-1) where she recorded a 0.58 ERA while striking out 20 batters, and committing jus two errors. Throughout the Challenge, the Ogden, Utah native finished the week fanning 24 innings as BYU outscored its opponents 28-10.
The honor is O’Connor first of her career, while Bull has claimed her fifth merit, with the most recent accolade occurring last week.
Also nominated…Grace Hernandez San Diego; Frankie Perales, San Diego
2015 WEST COAST CONFERENCE PITCHER OF THE WEEK
March 2: Mercedes O’Connor, Brigham Young
February 23: Gordy Bravo, Brigham Young
February 16: Nicole Zapotoczny, Pacific
February 9: Gianetta France, Santa Clara
2015 WEST COAST CONFERENCE PITCHER OF THE WEEK
March: McKenna Bull, Brigham Young
February 23: McKenna Bull, Brigham Young
February 16: McKenna Bull, Brigham Young
February 9: Paige von Sprecken, San Diego
