SEC Softball
Player of the Week
Rainey Gaffin • Tennessee
Senior • P/UT • Thornton, Colo.
Gaffin led the team with eight RBIs and a 1.077 slugging percentage for the week while helping Tennessee remain undefeated at home (17-0) and post its third SEC series sweep this year. She had a hit in all four games and had multiple hits in three of the four. Gaffin went a perfect 3-for-3 and hit a grand slam while setting a new career high with six RBIs in UT’s series clinching win over the 10th ranked Aggies on Saturday. She also posted a 2-0 record in the pitcher’s circle with a win over Kennesaw State on Tuesday and another in the series-opener against Texas A&M on Friday. In Tuesday’s start against the Owls, Gaffin gave up only one hit in four innings. She threw 6.1 innings and struck out eight batters on Friday to improve to 8-3 this season.
Pitcher of the Week
Kelsey Nunley • Kentucky
Senior • RHP • Soddy Daisy, Tenn.
Nunley got Kentucky a 1-0 win at No. 8 LSU on Saturday night in the series opener, going the complete 7.0 innings on five hits, not allowing a run and striking out six Tiger batters. She now has a 1.03 ERA on the season and moves to 14-4 on the season. Nunley’s shutout was the fifth of her 2016 season, and helped UK to win game one of the series. UK would go on to clinch the series on Sunday night – marking the first time that Kentucky has ever won a series in Baton Rouge against LSU.
Freshman of the Week
Alyssa DiCarlo • Georgia
IF • Glendale, Ariz.
DiCarlo led Georgia in three wins over No. 14 Missouri after notching a .643 batting average with nine hits, including three home runs. She had multi-hit performances in all four of last week’s games, including a 3-for-3 effort in game two against the Tigers where she hit a career-best two home runs in the game. DiCarlo finished the weekend in Columbia with a .700 average, going 7-for-10 with six RBI and a 1.600 slugging percentage.
Pac-12 Softball
SAN FRANCISCO — The Pac-12 Conference office announced the softball weekly honors for play from Apr. 4-10. WASHINGTON senior infielder Kimberlee Souza was named player of the week, OREGON LHP Cheridan Hawkins was tabbed pitcher of the week while WASHINGTON RHP Taran Alvelo was voted freshman of the week.
Souza (Waialua, Hawai’i) helped the No. 12 Huskies to a sweep of No. 20 Arizona State this weekend in Tempe, Ariz. She led the Huskies at the plate going 5-for-9 with seven RBI and three home runs in the series. In the first game, she launched a three-run home run in the first inning while going 3-for-4 with two runs scored. The first baseman, who just recently started playing that position due to an injury, also went yard in the second game before hitting yet another home run in the series finale in the seventh inning with the game tied.
Hawkins (Anderson, Calif.) earned two wins and picked up a save in 13 innings against the Beavers over the weekend. Hawkins improved to 8-0 in her career against Oregon State with wins in the first and third games of the series. She also tossed a scoreless seventh inning, with three strikeouts, to pick up a save in the 4-3 second game. Overall on the weekend, Hawkins allowed just nine hits and one walk in 13 innings with 17 strikeouts. Hawkins has 997 strikeouts in her career. This is Oregon’s 59th all-time weekly accolade.
Alvelo (Carroll, Ohio) helped No. 12 Washington to a weekend sweep over No. 20 Arizona State. The freshman RHP posted eight strikeouts en route to a two-hit gem in the first game. Alvelo (13-5) went the distance to claim her 13th win of the season, allowing just two hits, a two-run home run in the first inning and a single in the seventh. The freshman started the series finale and earned the save after re-entering to pitch the final three outs. Alvelo threw 3.2 innings, allowing five hits and two earned runs. Alvelo and Souza’s honors mark 95 all-time weekly nods for the Washington program.
Big 12 Softball
This week’s Big 12 Softball awards reside in Bedlam, as Oklahoma State’s Madi Sue Montgomery takes home Player of the Week and Oklahoma’s Paige Parker grabs Pitcher of the Week. Montgomery drove in 10 runs and Parker tossed two complete-game shutouts en route to the honors. It marks the first career honor for the freshman, Montgomery, and Parker earns her third award of 2016 after being named Pitcher of the Week seven times in 2015 en route to Big 12 Pitcher of the Year and second team All-American honors. Parker was also named the USA Softball Player of the Week this week for her accomplishments.
PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Madi Sue Montgomery, Oklahoma State, 2B, Fr., Burleson, Texas
Montgomery led the way at the plate for the Cowgirls on their way to a 3-1 week that included a 3-0 conference sweep of Iowa State where the Cowgirls scored a total of 32 runs. The freshman finished with 10 RBI on the week, including five in game two of the ISU series, a 12-10 win for OSU. For the week, she finished 6-for-13 at the dish with a home run and a stolen base. Montgomery also played an important role in the field, finishing with three key run-saving plays against the Cyclones over the course of the weekend. In conference play, the freshman from Burleson, Texas leads the Big 12 in RBI with 15 and is tied for third in the league in total bases with 20.
PITCHER OF THE WEEK
Paige Parker, Oklahoma, LHP, So., Independence, Mo.
Parker earned all four of Oklahoma’s wins last week, including a three-game sweep at No. 19/18 Baylor to put the Sooners in first place in the Big 12 at 6-1. Parker began the week with four shutout innings and a win against Wichita State where she struck out four and walked one, providing her with momentum for the top-25 weekend showdown with Baylor. The Bears had been shut out just once all season entering the weekend, but Parker did it in consecutive games. In the series opener, she struck out five and walked three in tossing her seventh shutout of the year. She then topped that performance in game two, when she was flat-out dominant, throwing a career-high 8.0 innings to record her eighth shutout of the season while striking out six and giving up just four hits with no walks. The sophomore from Independence, Missouri also took home the complete-game victory in game three, allowing four runs (three earned) over seven frames. The win gave her the victory in her ninth-consecutive start. Parker currently leads the conference in wins on the season with 17, and has posted the top ERA during conference play (1.20 over 41.0 IP).
ACC Softball
GREENSBORO, N.C. (theACC.com) – Florida State junior catcher Sydney Broderick has been named the Atlantic Coast Conference Softball Player of the Week, while North Carolina junior Kendra Lynch and Virginia Tech senior Maggie Tyler earned ACC Co-Pitcher of the Week accolades.
The honors are the first of the season for Broderick, and the second for Lynch, while Tyler was named ACC Pitcher of the Week for the third time this year and the third week in a row.
Broderick led the Seminoles to a perfect 4-0 week with both her bat and her glove as Florida State posted a sweep over NC State this weekend. The Ashburn, Virginia, native batted .545 with six RBI and posted a slugging percentage of .909 for the week. She tallied two hits, scored at least one run and drove in at least one run in each game of the three-game series with the Wolfpack, including RBIs in three different plate appearances on April 10. The junior catcher started the game against NC State on April 9 with a two-run home run in her first plate appearance and used her skills behind the plate to help keep the game tied at 4-4 in the top of the seventh inning, cleanly fielding a throw from Morgan Klaevemann in centerfield to retire Tyler Ross at the plate and allowing the Noles to win the game, 5-4, in the bottom of the inning.
North Carolina’s Lynch posted an ERA of 0.98 for the week and posted a 2-0 mark with one save as the Tar Heels posted a 2-1 eight-inning road win at No. 10 Georgia and took two of three in their ACC series at Boston College. The Indianapolis native went the full eight innings in the victory at Georgia, allowing just one run on an RBI groundout while hitting a solo home run to give UNC the early lead. Lynch also drove in as many runs as she allowed against Boston College in game one, going a complete 7.0 innings and allowing one earned run while going 2-for-3 with a two-run run home run at the plate. She earned her first career save in game two versus Boston College, allowing just one hit over the final 2.2 innings, retiring eight straight batters with three strikeouts to seal a 4-3 victory. Lynch did not allow a hit in 3.2 innings of relief in the BC series finale.
Virginia Tech’s Tyler posted a 1.48 ERA while tossing three complete games and working 24.1 innings in four mound appearances. The senior from Poquoson, Virginia, allowed six hits and one run while striking out eight last Wednesday, when the Hokies edged No. 6 James Madison, 2-1, for their highest-ever win over ranked opponent at home. Tyler allowed three hits and one walk while striking out seven in Saturday’s 4-0 ACC road win at Louisville. The win was the 16th of the season for Tyler, who surpassed her previous career high set each of the previous two seasons.
Big Ten Softball
Player of the Week
Alex Bayne, Ohio State
Jr., OF, Manvel, Texas – Manvel
• Recorded multiple hits, two RBI and a home run in each of five wins for the Buckeyes last week
• Drove in 11 runs and scored 10 times in a pair of wins over Penn State and a series sweep of Rutgers
• Had a slugging percentage of 1.368, extending her streak of consecutive games with a home run to a program-record six
• Earns her first Player of the Week award
• Last Ohio State Big Ten Player of the Week: Erika Leonard (March 14, 2016)
Pitcher of the Week
Cassie McClure, Nebraska
Jr., RHP, Kingwood, Texas – Kingwood
• Earned a complete-game win in the series-opening contest against No. 1 Michigan, after picking up a save in game two of a doubleheader against Iowa earlier in the week
• Pitched a four-hit shutout in seven innings, striking out two in a win over the Wolverines
• Recorded a 2.21 ERA in 19.0 innings pitched over four appearances
• Leads the Big Ten with five saves this season
• Secures her second Pitcher of the Week honor
• Last Nebraska Big Ten Pitcher of the Week: Cassie McClure (Feb. 15, 2016)
Freshman of the Week
Maddie Houlihan, Minnesota
1B, Plymouth, Minn. – Benilde St. Margaret’s
• Guided the Golden Gophers to a sweep of Illinois with a 1.111 slugging percentage and an errorless defensive effort at first base
• Batted .556 (5-for-9) with five RBI, a home run and two doubles
• Hit a grand slam as part of a 3-for-3 day at the plate in the series opener
• Records her second Big Ten Freshman weekly honor
• Last Minnesota Big Ten Freshman of the Week: Maddie Houlihan (Feb. 29, 2016)
Sun Belt Softball
NEW ORLEANS – UL Lafayette and South Alabama sit atop the Sun Belt Conference softball standings after claiming both weekend series, as a pair of underclassmen led their teams to a series sweep. Ragin’ Cajun outfielder Aleah Craighton and Jaguar RHP Devin Brown have earned weekly softball honors, presented by Community Coffee.
UL Lafayette sits in the No. 1 spot in league standings with a 13-1 conference record (32-3 overall), and is currently ranked 4th in the NCAA Softball RPI rankings. The Ragin’ Cajuns took all three games from Georgia State over the weekend, and were led by sophomore Aleah Craighton. The right-fielder reached base in nine of 11 plate appearances, did not strikeout in any of those appearances, and hit .714 (5-for-7) in the Ragin’ Cajuns sweep of Georgia State — which represented the 26th consecutive Sun Belt series win dating back to March 2013. Three of Craighton’s five base hits went for extra bases, as she posted two home runs and a double leading to a 1.714 slugging percentage.
She closed the GSU series by reaching base in each of her final eight plate appearances, either by base hit or drawing a walk, building to her final on base percentage of .818. The Cajuns center fielder scored at least one in each game of the series and crossed home plate twice in each of the final two games. Posted three RBI in helping Louisiana build a 4-0 lead, and later drew a one-out walk in the top of the seventh inning to set up DJ Sanders’ game-winning home run in the second game of Saturday’s doubleheader (6-5 win over GSU). Capped off her series performance in Atlanta with 2-for-2, both hits for extra bases (double, home run), and posted her 13th home run of the season which is a new personal single-season best total.
This is Craighton’s first Sun Belt weekly honor this season. She joins teammates Lexie Elkins, Kylee Jo Trahan, DJ Sanders, Shellie Landry and Alex Stewart on the awards list for 2016, as UL Lafayette has placed the most student-athletes on the awards list this season (6).
South Alabama’s Devin Brown is the Community Coffee Pitcher of the Week for the fourth time this season. Brown is the only Sun Belt softball student-athlete to earn a weekly honor more than once this season. She is currently ranked third in the NCAA for strikeouts per seven innings with 11.2, behind Michigan’s Megan Betsa and Oregon’s Cheridan Hawkins.
The sophomore right-hander went 2-0 this weekend with 26 strikeouts to a walk in 14 innings and only four runs allowed (three earned) on 10 hits. Brown struck out 13 UT Arlington batters in each start, raising her season total to 226, eight shy of tying Beth Pilgrim’s program season record 234, set in 2009. Brown has now thrown 10 or more strikeouts in 14 of her 25 total appearances this season. The Jaguars swept UT Arlington over the weekend, keeping them at second place in league standings (24-11, 12-2 SBC).
Big West Softball
A record-breaking performance and a first-time sweep of a conference opponent led to softball weekly accolades for Darian Tautalafua and Tayler Misfeldt.
Tautalafua Breaks Big West Home Runs Record
Long Beach State slugging third baseman Darian Tautalafua (Carson, Calif./Carson HS) erased a 14-year old conference record with four home runs in a series victory over UC Davis, capturing Big West Softball Field Player of the Week honors for the fourth time in her career.
Tautalafua had a monster day at the plate in Sunday’s doubleheader at UC Davis. She roped four home runs, two in each game, to help the Beach to 7-5 and 3-0 victories. The four bombs increased her career total to 49, giving her the Big West career home runs record that had stood since 2002. Cal State Fullerton’s Yasmin Mossadeghi was the previous record holder with 47.
The senior had the game-winning RBIs in both wins, as she finished the series with four runs scored and seven RBI. She played a role in all 11 runs LBSU scored over the three games.
Tautalafua belted a two-run homer in the first inning and came back with a two-run game-winning bomb in the seventh to lift the Beach to the 7-5 victory. In the next game, she uncorked a pair of solo shots, with her two-out homer in the fourth providing all the scoring LBSU would need. Tautalafua finished the doubleheader 5-for-7 with four runs scored, a double, four home runs and seven RBIs.
For the week, she hit .556 (5-for-9) with a 2.000 slugging percentage.
Others nominated: Mackenzie Babbitt (CSUN); Maddie Richard (UC Riverside); Kristen Clark (UC Santa Barbara); Keiki Carlos (Hawai‘i)
Misfeldt Leads Highlanders To Historic Sweep
Posting a 3-0 record with a 1.37 ERA, UC Riverside sophomore Tayler Misfeldt (Tracy, Calif./Tracy HS) earned Big West Softball Pitcher of the Week accolades as she guided the Highlanders to their first series sweep of UC Santa Barbara in school history.
The Highlanders were 6-36 all-time against the Gauchos before Misfeldt’s impressive series in the circle.
She tossed a complete game six-hit shutout in the opener, allowing two walks and striking out three in the 4-0 victory.
In game two, the Highlanders overcame a 6-0 deficit with seven runs over the final four innings. Misfeldt picked up the win in relief, extinguishing a UCSB threat in the seventh with a runner on third and two outs. Misfeldt got Jacqueline Hinojosa to pop up to prevent any damage and set up a heroic two-run seventh inning for the Highlanders.
Misfeldt returned to a starting role in the series finale and threw all eight innings of a 4-3 win. She allowed eight hits and three runs with two walks and four strikeouts.
For the week, she allowed just three runs in 15.1 innings of work to go along with seven strikeouts.
CAA Softball
RICHMOND, Va. (April 11, 2016) – On Monday, the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) announced its weekly award winners in softball. Delaware’s Leanna Gearhart (Player of the Week), James Madison’s Jailyn Ford (Pitcher of the Week) and College of Charleston’s Kelly Sinclair (Rookie of the Week) were all honored for their respective performances.
PLAYER OF THE WEEK:
Leanna Gearhart • Delaware
So. | INF | Robbinsville, N.J./Robbinsville
Gearhart’s offensive impact last week for UD was hard to ignore after the sophomore accounted for 12 runs, 10 stolen bases and four walks over her team’s 4-1 showing. She batted .400 (6-for-15) while driving in two runs and also was hit by a pitch. Gearhart set the tone for a strong week on Wednesday, swiping six total bases in a doubleheader sweep of Delaware State, adding two hits, two walks, one RBI and five runs. During a 2-1 series win at UNCW over the weekend, the sophomore had four hits in 10 at-bats, stole four more bases, scored seven runs and also drew two walks. For the season, the New Jersey native has 35 stolen bases in 39 attempts.
PITCHER OF THE WEEK:
Jailyn Ford • No. 7 James Madison
Sr. | P/UTIL | Hot Springs, Va./Bath County
Ford won her third weekly CAA pitching nod of the season and first since March 8 following a 2-0 mark in the circle for the No. 7 Dukes last week. The lefty did not allow a run over the two appearances, opening the week with a six-inning victory over Virginia Tech, allowing four hits and striking out six. On Saturday, in Game 2 of a three-game series at the College of Charleston, Ford went the distance in the eventual, 4-3 win fanning five Cougar batters. The senior helped her own cause at the plate over both starts, smacking three homers in all, including two solo shots in the win over CofC. Ford now owns a 13-1 record in the circle and 0.98 ERA this year.
ROOKIE OF THE WEEK:
Kelly Sinclair • College of Charleston
Fr. | INF | Marietta, Ga./Lassiter
Sinclair is CofC’s first Rookie of the Week award winner this season. Though the Cougars didn’t come away with a win last week, the freshman led her team with seven hits in 19 at-bats, including three against the Dukes – two of which were doubles. Sinclair, who also drove in two runs last week, has started 40 of the Cougars’ 41 games this spring.
Conference USA Softball
IRVING – Familiar teams and faces headline this week’s Conference USA Softball weekly awards, as UAB earns its fourth consecutive award and Florida Atlantic’s Kylee Hanson takes home her fourth honor of the season. Blazer Mary Warren is the C-USA Player of the Week after crushing the ball en route to a 1.231 slugging percentage on the week, while Owl ace Hanson continued to show her dominance within the circle to earn C-USA Pitcher of the Week honors in consecutive weeks.
C-USA PLAYER OF THE WEEK
MARY WARREN | UAB | JR. | OCOEE, FLORIDA
Warren slugged her way to an impressive week at the plate, leading the Blazer lineup to a 2-2 record with wins over Jacksonville State at home and Louisiana Tech on the road. During the mid-week non-conference clash with the Gamecocks, the junior went 2-for-3 with a career-high four RBI, including a three-run home run blast that helped lift UAB and head coach Marla Townsend to their 500th all-time victory. During a tough weekend road series in Ruston, the Ocoee, Florida, native continued to excel with two more multi-hit games. In the three-game series, Warren totaled five hits with two home runs, seven RBI, and two runs scored while only striking out just once. Through four games this last week, Warren earned a .538 batting average (second on UAB) and a team-leading 1.231 slugging percentage, with three round-trippers and 11 total RBI. This is the junior’s first C-USA Softball weekly award of her career.
C-USA PITCHER OF THE WEEK
KYLEE HANSON | FLORIDA ATLANTIC | JR. | JUPITER, FLORIDA
Hanson, C-USA’s Preseason Pitcher of the Year, has turned the heat up in the second half of the season and is making a campaign to become a household name not only around the league, but around the nation. The junior sensation within the circle stepped up for the nationally-ranked Owls this week, leading the league’s No. 1 pitching staff to a three-game sweep of C-USA’s most potent lineup, FIU. The Jupiter, Florida, native made her mark in each of the three Florida Atlantic victories over their Sunshine State rivals, earning the win in games one and three, and a save in game two. On the weekend, Hanson went the distance in each of her two starts en route to 15.0 total innings pitched, 17 strikeouts and no earned runs allowed for a 0.00 ERA. In 2016, the Owl ace has amassed a 17-3 overall record in the circle, tossing 10 complete game shutouts on the year. This is Hanson’s fourth C-USA weekly award of the season, and eighth of her overall career, including the last two consecutive weeks
AAC Softball
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – The American Athletic Conference has announced the winners of the league’s weekly softball honors, for the week ending April 10.
AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Courtney Rotton • 3B • So. • UCF • Clermont, Fla.
Rotton has been named Player of the Week for the second time this season after recording a pair of multi-hit games this week, including a two-hit performance against No. 2/3 Florida. In Sunday’s 3-1 win over RV/RV Tulsa, the sophomore went 2-for-2 at the plate, with two runs scored and two RBIs. She had a hand in all three of UCF’s runs, as her sac fly in the third scored the game-winning run. She also connected on her first home run of the season as the Knights swept the regular season series against the Hurricane for the first time since 2008. The product of Clermont, Fla., also drew three walks on the week. Defensively, she recorded four putouts and eight assists in 12 chances without an error.
AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE PITCHER OF THE WEEK
Erica Nunn • P • Sr. • USF • Apex, N.C.
Nunn has earned Pitcher of the Week honors for the third time this season after she went 4-0 over the week for No. 25/23 USF. The senior walked just three batters in 22 innings pitched over four games. Nunn fanned 29 batters, highlighted by an 11-strikeout outing in game two of the UConn series. She posted three shutouts and allowed just one earned run for a .32 ERA on the week. The Apex, N.C., native also pitched three complete games to improve her record to 20-6 on the year. Nunn is now 6-1 in conference play this season. At the plate, she led the team with a .545 average in four games played. She recorded six hits in 11 at-bats, with three RBIs, two runs scored and two doubles. She posted a .727 slugging percentage and a .545 on-base percentage.
Southern Conference Softball
SPARTANBURG, S.C. – UNCG’s Nicole Thomas and Western Carolina’s Taylor Sigmon have garnered Southern Conference Softball Player and Pitcher of the Week honors, respectively, for games played April 4-10, the league office announced Monday.
Thomas only saw seven at-bats but made the most of them for the Spartans. The senior’s week was highlighted by a 2-for-3 effort that included a walk-off grand slam in a 6-3 win over Mercer in the second half of Saturday’s doubleheader. Her game-winning blast came with UNCG down to its last out. The Irvine, Calif., native provided more heroics in the series finale on Sunday, going 3-for-3 with two RBIs, including a game-tying single in the bottom of the seventh inning. A Bears’ error on the same play gave the Spartans a series-clinching 5-4 victory and their second walk-off win in as many games. Thomas hit .714 (5-for-7) for the week with six RBIs, a run and three walks.
Sigmon tossed a total of 21 1/3 innings across four appearances and two starts, compiling 30 strikeouts and a 1.31 ERA for the Catamounts. The senior from Catawba, N.C., provided three innings of no-hit relief to preserve a 12-11 win over USC Upstate in game one of a twin bill on Wednesday. Sigmon went the distance in game two, striking out 12 Spartan hitters and allowing only one multi-base hit – a double – in a 3-0 loss. She was back in action on Saturday, delivering a complete-game shutout of Chattanooga that featured nine strikeouts and only one walk. Sigmon limited the Mocs offense to four hits on the day. The right-hander closed out the week by giving her team four and a third innings of relief in a narrow 4-3 loss to UTC on Sunday. She fanned four hitters and allowed three hits in the outing.
Sigmon leads the SoCon with 134 strikeouts this season.
SoCon softball continues with six league teams in action Tuesday against non-conference opponents.
Atlantic Sun Softball
MACON, Ga. – Lipscomb senior Brittany Elmore notched her second-straight Atlantic Sun Softball Player of the Week award, while FGCU freshman Riley Randolph captured the pitching honor, announced Monday by the league office.
Elmore dominated the base paths for the Lady Bisons, recording multi-hit games in each contest vs. North Florida. The senior tallied two hits in game one, four in game two and three in game three to total a .818 batting average on the weekend. Elmore was highly effective in getting on base for Lipscomb, and stole five bags on the weekend. The Tennessee native is currently on an 11-game hitting streak.
Randolph was excellent in the pitching circle for the Eagles, shutting down the Stetson offense, giving FGCU the weekend series win. The freshman pitched two complete games, in the first and final contest vs. the Hatters, allowing just one earned run in total. In seven innings on Sunday’s rubber match, Randolph allowed zero earned runs and tallied five strikeouts per game for 10 on the weekend.
Atlantic Sun Softball Player of the Week – April 11, 2016
Brittany Elmore, Lipscomb
Senior | Infielder/Outfielder | Mount Juliet, Tenn. | Elementary Education
– Third Career Atlantic Sun Player of the Week honor
– Batted .818 with multiple hits in each game vs. UNF
– Tallied two hits in game one, four in game two
– Recorded three hits in Sunday’s 16-0 Bisons victory
– Currently on an 11-game hitting streak for Lipscomb
– Stole five bases, including three in game two
Other Nominees: Kelsey Huff, FGCU; Shelby Duncan, North Florida; Karla Beasley
Atlantic Sun Softball Pitcher the Week – April 11, 2016
Riley Randolph, FGCU
Freshman | St. Petersburg, Fla. | Marketing
– Second Career Atlantic Sun Pitcher of the Week honor
– Pitched two complete game victories for FGCU
– In game one vs. Stetson allowed just one earned run
– In Sunday’s rubber match, allowed zero earned runs
– Tallied five strikeouts in each contest for 10 total
– Finished the weekend with an ERA of 0.58
Other Nominees: Kelly Young, Lipscomb; Logan Green, North Florida; Lexi Shubert, USC Upstate
DENVER – Missouri-Kansas City’s Brooke Parker and Grand Canyon’s Kailey Regester have been named the Western Athletic Conference Hitter and Pitcher of the Week, respectively, for April 4-10. This is the first-ever honor for Parker and the first of the season and third of her career for Regester.
Parker, a senior outfielder from Blue Springs, Mo., tallied 10 hits in three games against CSU Bakersfield, including a perfect 4-for-4 effort in game two of the series. The four hits marked a career-best performance, and she would go on to match the four-hit effort in the series finale with a 4-for-5 outing. Parker scored five runs and drove in another two in the series sweep of the Roadrunners.
Regester, a senior from Chandler Ariz., went 1-0 with a 1.00 ERA in two appearances last week. She allowed just one run on seven hits over 7.0 innings, with five strikeouts and no walks. In the second game of the series at Seattle U, she threw her first shutout of the season, scattering five hits over six innings and striking out four. In the series finale, Regester came in relief and closed out the contest, delivering the game-claiming strikeout after forcing two ground outs to third base.
Other Hitter of the Week nominees included: Grand Canyon’s Camree Wartman hit .600 with one triple, one home run and eight RBIs … Victoria Castro of NM State hit .462 with a double, a triple, a home run and three RBIs last week.
Other Pitcher of the Week nominees included: UMKC’s Katie Kelley went 2-0 with a 4.08 ERA and 10 strikeouts over 12.0 innings last week … Makayla McAdams of NM State went 2-1 with a 3.32 ERA and eight strikeouts over 19.0 innings.
WCC Softball
SAN BRUNO, Calif. – Loyola Marymount junior outfielder Amanda Dirks and Saint Mary’s junior pitcher Katie Moss have been named the West Coast Conference Softball Players and Pitcher of the Week, the conference office announced Monday.
The honors are the first this season for both Dirks and Moss.
Dirks claims the player of the week honor after batting .400 with three home runs, one double, four runs scored, eight RBI and a 1.400 slugging percentage in a three-game series against BYU. She went 4-for-10 in the three games, including 4-for-8 in LMU’s two victories, which secured a series victory over the Cougars for the second straight year. In LMU’s 9-4 win Friday night, Dirks went 3-for-4 with two home runs, a double and five RBI. She opened the game with a two-run homer in her first at bat, helping LMU build a 4-0 lead in the top of the first. She added an RBI-double in the third inning and a second two-run home run in the fifth as the Lions secured the victory. In Saturday’s rubber match, Dirks provided just one hit, but it was perhaps the biggest of all. With the Lions reclaiming a narrow 2-1 advantage in the top of the seventh, Dirks delivered a three-run homer, effectively sealing the 5-1 win and the series victory. The junior also made four putouts in left field. For the season, she now leads LMU with 11 home runs to go along with 10 doubles for a .707 slugging percentage.
Moss takes her first weekly honor of the season after winning all three games in a series against San Diego, going 17.1 innings, allowing 13 hits, one earned run and nine strikeouts with a 0.40 ERA. In game one, Moss tossed a complete game three-hitter. She followed that up with another five innings of shutout ball in game two of a double header. In the final on Sunday, she scattered seven hits and allowed just one run.
Player of the Week Also Nominated: Ashley Thompson, BYU; Rachel Sellers, Pacific; Katelyn Mamizuka, Saint Mary’s
Pitcher of the Week Also Nominated: McKenna Bull, BYU; Rachel Farrington, Loyola Marymount; Marissa Young, Pacific
MVC Softball
MVC Player of the Week
Jessica Heese, Sophomore, Utility, Platte City, Mo. – Southern Illinois
Jessica Heese went 7-for-14 in SIU’s 3-1 week, slugging .857 and piling up nine RBIs over the four games. Heese was most impressive this weekend at Missouri State, nearly single-handedly giving SIU a series win on the road against the preseason No. 2 team in the league. She hit a grand slam in SIU’s 6-3 win and had the go-ahead, 2-RBI double in the seventh inning of SIU’s 8-6 win on Sunday. For the weekend, she hit .600 with a 1.100 slugging percentage and a .667 on-base percentage. For the week, she had nine RBIs and scored seven runs, herself.
MVC Pitcher and Newcomer of the Week
Bailey Lange, Freshman, Pitcher, Sioux Falls, S.D. – UNI
Bailey Lange got it done for the Panthers both in the circle and in the batters’ box this past week, helping UNI to a 3-1 record while recording a 0.50 ERA. Lange tossed her first complete game as a Panther on Wednesday in a 3-2 win over in-state rival Iowa State while striking out a career-high eight batters. The freshman recorded another first on Saturday, this time a complete game shutout against Bradley in a 9-0 victory. At the plate during her shutout performance, Lange hit a homer in the 5th inning that gave the Panthers a five run cushion. Lange finished with a .545 batting average and .688 on-base percentage.
Big South Softball
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (www.BigSouthSports.com) – Presbyterian infielder Megan Anderson (Lexington, S.C.) has been selected as the Big South Conference Softball Player of the Week, while Coastal Carolina’s Ashley Guillette (Oxford, Conn.) has been named The Crons Brand Pitcher of the Week for games played April 4-10, it was announced today by the conference office.
Anderson shined in the Blue Hose’s five games last week against Gardner-Webb and Liberty as the freshman went 7-for-15 (.467) at the plate and tallied a hit in four of the five games. In PC’s 4-0 win over Gardner-Webb on Wednesday, she went 3-for-3, including a double in addition to a walk and three RBI. Anderson continued to impress in the final two games of the series against Liberty as she went 3-for-7 with two home runs, six RBI and two runs scored.
Guillette went 2-0 in the circle for the Chanticleers last week with an ERA of 1.05. In the second game of Coastal’s doubleheader against College of Charleston, she threw a complete game with 11 strikeouts and surrendered just two runs to lead the Chanticleers to a 7-2 victory. The freshman claimed her second win of the week against Winthrop on Saturday as she tossed another complete game, with just one run and seven strikeouts.
MAC Softball
MAC East Player of the Week:
Morgan Geno / Ohio / Designated Plater
Fr. / Chillicothe, Ohio / Zane Trace
Freshman designated player Morgan Geno led Ohio offensively this week, batting .583 in 12 at bats. She had seven hits, scored two runs, had four RBI and a homerun. She also had 10 total bases with a slugging percentage of .833 and an on base percentage of .643, all helping the Bobcats go 4-0 on the week.
Reno’s biggest game of the week came on April 5 in the first game of a doubleheader against Kent State. Gene was 2-for-3 including the big three-run homerun, helping Ohio to the 4-1 win. She also scored a run and had three RBI in the win. In the second game of the doubleheader, Geno was 1-for-2 with a walk and a run scored in the 4-2 victory.
Gene continued her power hitting on April 8 at Toledo. In the first game of the doubleheader, Geno was 2-for-3 with an RBI and one walk in the 4-2 win. Gene continued hitting in the second game, going 2-for-4 at the plate in the Bobcats’ 8-0 win, sweeping the season series of the Rockets.
MAC East Pitcher of the Week:
Savannah Jo Dorsey / Ohio / Pitcher
R-Jr. / Grove City, Ohio / Central Crossing
Redshirt junior pitcher Savannah Jo Dorsey led the Bobcats in the circle this week, helping Ohio to a 4-0 week. On the week, Dorsey had an ERA of 1.67, allowing five runs on nine hits in 21 innings of work. Dorsey had three starts, going the distance in all three and allowed opponents to hit .129 against her. Dorsey, the national leader in strikeouts, also struck out 30 batters in her three games.
On April 5 in the first game of a doubleheader against Kent State, Dorsey pitched a complete game, allowing one run on one hit in seven innings, walking two and striking out 10 in the 4-1 win. Dorsey came back out for the second game of the twin bill, allowing two runs on four hits while striking out 13 in her second complete game of the day in the 4-2 win.
On april 8 at Toledo, Dorsey started the first game of the doubleheader, allowing two runs on four hits and striking out seven in the 4-2 win.
MAC West Player of the Week:
Chandler Rice / Toledo / Second Base
Jr. / Louisville, Ohio / Louisville
Junior 2B Chandler Rice had been one of Toledo’s top offensive threats during conference play. Through UT’s past four games, Rice has gone 6-for-11 (.545) at the plate with a 1.364 slugging percentage, which includes one double, a triple, and two home runs. She plated five runs while recording five RBI. Rice also swiped three bags in her 15 recorded total bases.
MAC West Pitcher of the Week:
Allyson Kus / Western Michigan / Pitcher
Sr. / West Bloomfield, Mich. / West Bloomfield
Senior Allyson Kus picked up wins in both appearances this past week, throwing complete-game victories on the road at rival Central Michigan (7-2) and at home against Miami (3-1). She allowed just two earned runs over 14.0 innings pitched for a 1.00 ERA and struck out 11 batters combined. Opposing hitters had a .157 batting average against. She gave up just four hits and fanned six batters against CMU. Kus did not allow an earned run against Miami and held the RedHawks to just one hit through four innings. Kus has is 4-0 over her last four starts and now has a 10-9 record with a 2.64 ERA on the year. She has throw 12 complete games.
Atlantic 10 Softball
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. — The Atlantic 10 Conference has named Fordham junior Lindsay Mayer and Dayton sophomore Manda Cash the Softball Player and Pitcher of the Week, respectively. Saint Joseph’s Amanda Kulp earned Rookie of the Week honors. The awards were for games played April 4-10.
Mayer batted .632 (12-for-19) at the plate with a home run, seven RBI and three runs scored in a perfect 6-0 week for Fordham. The Lincoln, R.I., native went for 6-for-7 at the plate with three RBI in a doubleheader against St. Bonaventure on Wednesday. She followed that performance with another three RBI game against George Washington on Friday. Mayer also made a tremendous impact this week from the circle as she recorded either a win or save in every game last week. She posted a record of 4-0 with two saves and an ERA of 2.47 over 17 innings pitched, allowing only six earned runs on 14 hits while striking out 11.
Cash picked up two conference wins for the Flyers this week, tossing complete game shutouts against Saint Louis and George Mason as part of a 2-0 week. She struck out 11 batters in the win over the Billikens while allowing just two hits, and then recorded eight strikeouts against George Mason while also allowing only two hits. The Columbus, Ohio, native set a new career high in strikeouts with 13 in a seven inning, one run performance against George Mason. For the week, Cash pitched 22.2 innings, striking out 33 and allowing seven hits and only four walks.
Kulp batted .583 (7-for-12) for the week with six runs scored and four stolen bases in a 3-1 week for Saint Joseph’s. Against Drexel on Wednesday, Kulp went 2-for-2 with a run scored and a stolen base. She followed that performance by going 5-for-10 with five runs scored and three stolen bases in a series win over Massachusetts.
Big East Softball
NEW YORK – St. John’s Grace Kramer picked up BIG EAST Softball Pitcher of the Week honors while DePaul’s Nicole Pihl netted the BIG EAST Player of the Week award, the conference announced on Monday.
BIG EAST Player of the Week
Nicole Pihl, DePaul, Jr., 1B
In the Blue Demons’ three-game sweep of Providence, Pihl was a force at the plate, batting .545 with a 1.364 slugging percentage. In the first game of the series, the junior went 3-for-5, belting two home runs and tallying six RBI. She would send another over the fence in Game 2 against the Friars. Pihl finished the weekend with eight RBI and three runs scored, keeping DePaul in first place in the league.
BIG EAST Pitcher of the Week
Grace Kramer, St. John’s, Jr.
Kramer was dominant in the circle for the Red Storm, going 2-1 in three appearances, posting a 1.87 earned run average with two complete games. She struck out 25 batters in 15.0 innings, holding opposing teams to a .180 batting average. In both her starts, Kramer struck out at least 11 batters, including a one hitter against Saint Peter’s where she tallied 12 strikeouts in 5.0 innings.
Weekly Honor Roll
Mikeila Boroff, Butler, So., P
Boroff allowed just one earned run in seven innings of work against St. John’s, striking out six in the win.
Maggie MacBeth, Butler, RS Fr., INF
MacBeth went 3-for-4 in both of Butler’s BIG EAST contests at St. John’s over the weekend, registering six hits and a .750 average in the series.
Chase Snell, Villanova, Jr., INF
Snell batted .714 in the Wildcats’ three games and went 5-for-6 in the two games against Seton Hall, scoring four times and knocking in two runs.
Michelle Trulin, Creighton, Sr., OF
Trulin batted .667 in the Bluejays’ series against Georgetown, tallying five RBI and five runs scored.
Micaela Whitney, Creighton, Sr., P
Whitney went 2-0 with a pair of complete games last week, posting a 2.33 ERA with 14 strikeouts.
Summit League Softball
ELMHURST, Ill. – North Dakota State shortstop Logan Moreland was named Summit League Player of the Week while South Dakota pitcher Madison Frain earned the league’s Pitcher of the Week award for their performances during the week of April 4-10.
PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
LOGAN MORELAND, NORTH DAKOTA STATE
Sr. // SS // Woodland, Calif.
- Named Summit League Player of the Week for the second straight week
- Hit .556 (5-for-9) in NDSU’s sweep at Fort Wayne over the weekend
- Went yard twice in the series finale Sunday and now has six home runs in the past seven games
- Drove in seven runs and scored seven runs in the three-game series
- Tallied a .545 on-base percentage and slugged 1.222 for the week
Also nominated: Lauren Watson, IPFW; Ali Mosier, IUPUI; Shelby Keil, South Dakota; Nicole Warren, Omaha
Previous honorees: Feb. 15 – Sydney Hames, Omaha; Feb. 22 – Payton Abbott, Western Illinois; Feb 29 – Jackie Stifter, North Dakota State; March 7 – Tierney Bottino, Western Illinois; March 14 – Kourtney Pock, Omaha; March 21 – Kourtney Pock, Omaha; March 28 – Sydney Hancock, South Dakota; April 4 – Sydney Hames, Omaha/Logan Moreland, North Dakota State
PITCHERS OF THE WEEK
MADISON FRAIN, SOUTH DAKOTA
Sr. // LHP // Creston, Iowa
- Earned her second career Summit League Pitcher of the Week award and first since her freshman season in 2013
- Appeared in all three of South Dakota’s wins (two starts) vs. IUPUI over the weekend
- Pitched two complete games, including one shutout, picking up two wins while allowing only one earned run
- Collected a four-out save in game two of the series to preserve a 10-9 victory
- Struck out a season-high 10 batters in a 2-0 shutout Sunday
- For the week, she posted a 0.46 ERA while striking out 15 in 15.1 innings of work
Also nominated: Brooke Boetjer, IUPUI; Jacquelyn Sertic, North Dakota State; Laura Roecker, Omaha; Ashlyn Bender, South Dakota State
Previous honorees: Feb. 15 – Jacquelyn Sertic, North Dakota State; Feb. 22 – Brooke Boetjer, IUPUI / Kacyee Hart, Western Illinois; Feb. 29 – Jacquelyn Sertic, North Dakota State; March 7 – Jacquelyn Sertic, North Dakota State / Emily Ira, Western Illinois; March 14 – Laura Roecker, Omaha; March 21 – Jacquelyn Sertic, North Dakota State; March 28 – Laura Roecker, Omaha; April 4 – Abbie Clanton, Omaha/Jacquelyn Sertic, North Dakota State
Southland Softball
FRISCO, Texas – Central Arkansas senior Jessie Taylor was selected Southland Conference Softball Hitter of the Week while McNeese State senior Emily Vincent was named pitcher of the week, the league office announced Monday.
Hitter of the Week – Jessie Taylor, Central Arkansas
The Central Arkansas backstop had a record-setting week at the plate, as her two home runs gave her sole ownership of the Central Arkansas career home run record, passing former UCA great Kasey Britt with her 32nd and 33rd career home runs. The Bryant, Ark. (Bryant H.S.), native’s record-tying home run in the Bears’ win over Memphis put them ahead for good in the game, while her record-setter helped secure a sweep of Northwestern State, giving the Bears their first series win over the Lady Demons since 2010. This is Taylor’s second weekly award on the season.
Honorable Mention: Peyton Hedrick, Abilene Christian; Breanna Homer; Sam Houston State.
Pitcher of the Week – Emily Vincent, McNeese State
Vincent picked up two complete game shutout wins over Nicholls last week in her only two appearances of the week. The Sulphur, La. (Sulpher H.S.), native struck out a total of 11 batters, while only giving up one walk and nine hits in 14 innings. She also held per opponents to a .176 batting average. This is her second weekly honors for the 2016 season.
Honorable Mention: Kayla Gomness; Central Arkansas; Taylor Atkinson, Sam Houston State, Hannah Null; Abilene Christian.
American East Softball
FRISCO, Texas – Central Arkansas senior Jessie Taylor was selected Southland Conference Softball Hitter of the Week while McNeese State senior Emily Vincent was named pitcher of the week, the league office announced Monday.
Hitter of the Week – Jessie Taylor, Central Arkansas
The Central Arkansas backstop had a record-setting week at the plate, as her two home runs gave her sole ownership of the Central Arkansas career home run record, passing former UCA great Kasey Britt with her 32nd and 33rd career home runs. The Bryant, Ark. (Bryant H.S.), native’s record-tying home run in the Bears’ win over Memphis put them ahead for good in the game, while her record-setter helped secure a sweep of Northwestern State, giving the Bears their first series win over the Lady Demons since 2010. This is Taylor’s second weekly award on the season.
Honorable Mention: Peyton Hedrick, Abilene Christian; Breanna Homer; Sam Houston State.
Pitcher of the Week – Emily Vincent, McNeese State
Vincent picked up two complete game shutout wins over Nicholls last week in her only two appearances of the week. The Sulphur, La. (Sulpher H.S.), native struck out a total of 11 batters, while only giving up one walk and nine hits in 14 innings. She also held per opponents to a .176 batting average. This is her second weekly honors for the 2016 season.
Honorable Mention: Kayla Gomness; Central Arkansas; Taylor Atkinson, Sam Houston State, Hannah Null; Abilene Christian.
Big Sky Softball
OGDEN, Utah (April 11, 2016) – For the first time this season, the Big Sky Conference selected softball Co-Players of the Week. Sacramento State’s Sydney Rasmussen and Weber State’s Sara Hingsberger were named Co-Players of the Week after leading their teams offensively last week. Weber State right-hander, Kirtlyn Bohling, picked up her fourth Pitcher of the Week honor this season.
Rasmussen, a freshman shortstop from Wrightwood, Calif., helped lead the Hornets to a 3-1 record last week that included a three-game road sweep at Northern Colorado. Rasmussen reached base safely in 12 of her 14 plate appearances at UNC and finished the weekend with a .833 average (10-of-12), with three runs scored, two walks, four stolen bases, two extra-base hits, three RBIs and a .857 on-base percentage.
In Friday’s opener at UNC, she went 4-for-4 at the plate with a double, a walk, three steals and three RBIs. In game two, she went 2-for-4 with two runs and a steal and finished the series with a 4-for-4 performance with a run and a triple in Saturday’s finale.
Hingsberger, a junior from Eagle, Idaho, had a big offensive week that included a Big Sky record-tying seven RBIs in the Wildcats’ 18-1 win at Southern Utah on Friday. She also recorded an inside-the-park grand slam in the series opener at SUU and blasted a three-run shot out of the park. In WSU’s 9-1 win in game two, she hit her second grand slam of the day and hit a two-run home run.
On the week, Hingsberger batted .400 in four games with six runs scored, four home runs and 15 RBIs. This is her second weekly honor of the season.
Bohling went 2-0 last week with a 2.33 ERA with wins at Utah Valley on Tuesday and a win at Southern Utah on Friday. In two games she allowed nine hits with four runs allowed. In Friday’s 18-1 win at Southern Utah, Bohling did her part by allowing just three hits and two walks with seven strikeouts.
This season, Bohling is 15-3 with a 2.20 ERA in 124 innings and leads the Big Sky in wins, winning percentage, and ERA.
NEC Softball
NEC SOFTBALL PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Rachel Heinze, Mount St. Mary’s
Jr., OF, Charlotte Hall, MD/St. Mary’s Ryken
Heinze was a force at the plate for the Mountaineers as she completed the week hitting .500 with three doubles, two home runs, five runs scored and four RBI to go along with a 1.400 slugging percentage. Heinze began her week by going 2-for-5 with a homer and a double in the Mount’s 16-10 setback at Georgetown. In Sunday’s opener against Sacred Heart, Heinze launched a walk-off three-run homer in the bottom of the seventh as the Mount rallied for the 8-7 win. The junior finished the doubleheader sweep 3-for-5 with two doubles, a homer, four runs scored and three RBIs. The Maryland native has swatted a league-leading 15 round trippers this season, leaving her one shy of the NEC single-season record set by Wagner’s Andrea Lazzari in 2009.
NEC SOFTBALL PITCHER OF THE WEEK
Erynn Sobieski, LIU Brooklyn
So., P, Logan, Township, NJ/GCIT
Sobieski continued to impress in LIU Brooklyn’s split with Bryant on Sunday. The sophomore tossed a complete-game six-hitter in the Blackbirds’ 4-1 victory over the Bulldogs. The righthander fanned nine batters and did not issue a walk in picking up her eighth win of the season. The Logan Township, NJ product entered in relief in game two and tossed four scoreless innings. Sobieski posted a 0.64 ERA and 0.91 WHIP, did not walk a batter and struck out 11 on the afternoon.
NEC SOFTBALL ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
Lindsay Heinze, Mount St. Mary’s
Fr., SS, Charlotte Hall, MD/St. Mary’s Ryken
In helping the Mountaineers finish 2-1 on the week, Heinze hit .444 (4-for-9) with two homers, eight RBI and four runs scored to go along with a 1.111 slugging percentage. In the opening game of a sweep over Sacred Heart on Sunday, Heinze tied things up after belting a three-run homer in the bottom of the fourth as the Mount went on to secure an 8-7 win. In game two, the freshman broke a 2-2 deadlock with a grand slam in the bottom of the third to help propel the Mountaineers to a 7-4 victory. Earlier in the week in a 16-10 setback at Georgetown, Heinze went 1-for-3 with two walks and two runs scored.
MAAC Softball
Player of the Week
So., OF, 5-4, Peoria, AZ/Sunrise Mountain
Taylor batted 3-5 (.600) with a double, 3 RBI and two runs scored in the Saints’ weekend sweep of Canisius. The sophomore sparked a six run inning for Siena as she hit her first home run of the season with a three run blast to right center. Taylor sported an on base percentage of .667 and a slugging percentage of 1.400 over the course of the two MAAC victories for Siena.
Pitcher of the Week
So., P, 5-11, Tracy, CA/John C. Kimball
Riley continued her dominant pitching of late with a 2-1 record with a save, a 1.35 ERA and 36 strikeouts in 26.0 innings pitched this week. Her consecutive scoreless innings streak was snapped Sunday after 29.2 innings without surrendering a run. She began the week with 2.1 innings of relief at Princeton. She allowed just one hit while striking out four. She then shut out Iona, limiting the Gaels to just three hits and two walks, while striking out six in a complete-game effort. She struck out a career-high 13 Quinnipiac batters in 8.2 innings in a Game 1 victory before closing the final 2.2 innings of Game 2 to held Monmouth to a road sweep. Riley recorded the final three outs for the save in Game 1 at Fairfield on Sunday. Her scoreless innings streak was snapped in the third inning of Game 2 at Fairfield, but she still managed to strike out seven Stags in 5.1 innings pitched. For the season, she’s now posted a 7-3 record with a 2.38 ERA and 107 strikeouts in 94.0 innings pitched. She’s limited opposing batters to a .200 average.
Rookie of the Week
Fr., U, 5-6, Greensburg, PA/Greensburg Salem
Oberdorf hit a team-best .643 (9-for-14) as Marist went 3-1 this past week. She had an on-base percentage of .688, a slugging percentage of .929, five RBIs, four runs scored, two extra-base hits (homer, double), two walks and a sacrifice bunt. She was also a perfect 3-for-3 in stolen base attempts. Oberdorf hit safely in every game, and had three multi-hit games. In the first game of a doubleheader on April 6, she was 4-for-4 with two runs scored, two RBIs and her first collegiate home run in a 9-3 triumph over Boston University. In the second game, she singled, walked and stole a base in Marist’s 5-4 win. In the first game of a doubleheader against Manhattan on April 10, Oberdorf went 2-for-4 with a run scored, a double and a sacrifice bunt against Manhattan. In the second game against the Jaspers, she went 2-for-3 with three RBIs, a run scored, two stolen bases and a walk. Her second-inning RBI single gave Marist the lead in a four-run inning, and she added a two-out, two-run single in a four-run fifth. Oberdorf made three starts at second base, and one at catcher this week. She handled all 10 fielding chances successfully without committing an error, finishing with six assists and four putouts.
MEAC Softball
NORFOLK, Va. — Savannah State’s Brianna Harris was selected as the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Softball Player of the Week, the conference announced today. Teammate Cortni Jones earned Rookie of the Week, while Kenya Pereira of Florida A&M was named Pitcher of the Week.
Harris (SS, 5-4, So., Jacksonville, Fla.) recorded a .615 batting average in three wins over North Carolina Central. She finished with eight hits, including three doubles and one triple, with eight runs scored and five RBIs. She also had three putouts and two stolen bases in the series sweep.
Jones (3B, 5-5, Fr., Snellville, Ga.) went 6-for-12, in three wins over North Carolina Central, with one run and two doubles. She recorded a perfect 1.000 field percentage with five putouts, six assists and no errors.
Pereira (RHP, 5-3, Jr., Kissimmee, Fla.) registered a 3.25 ERA in three games against North Florida and North Carolina A&T State. She allowed two runs in 7.0 innings pitched and tallied nine strikeouts, in a win over North Carolina A&T State.
S
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Arkansas-Pine Bluff outfielder Tonnay Hawkins and Texas Southern pitcher Lauren Rodriguez have been recognized by the Southwestern Athletic Conference as Softball Hitter and Pitcher of the Week for their outstanding performance in competition, April 4-9.
Hitter of the Week
Tonnay Hawkins
Arkansas-Pine Bluff
OF | 5-5 | So. | El Paso, Texas
In five contests this past week, Hawkins hit 8-for-14 (.571 BA) with two RBI, a triple and two runs scored for the Lady Lions. The sophomore racked up three multi-hit games along the way, raising her season batting average from .376 to .402 while moving into a tie for the league lead in total hits (43) and is the SWAC’s outright leader in hits per game (1.39).
Pitcher of the Week
Lauren Rodriguez
Texas Southern
5-5 | So. | Houston, Texas
Rodriguez made three appearances in Texas Southern’s four games this past week, posting a 2-1 W/L record. She pitched 14.1 total innings, giving up seven hits, four runs (three earned) and striking out 15 batters while allowing seven walks and posting a ERA of 1.46. As of now, Rodriguez leads the conference in fewest hits per start (6.79) and runs per game (3.55) and also paces the league in opponent’s batting average against (.254).
