LOUISVILLE, Ky. – West Texas A&M’s Lauren Granger was named Division II Louisville Slugger/NFCA Player of the Week, while Hillsdale’s Joni Russell and UIndy’s Kenzee Smith shared the Wilson/NFCA Pitcher of the Week honor.
Granger batted .778 with four doubles, two home runs and eight RBI leading No. 2 West Texas A&M to a pair of Lone Star Conference series sweeps. She reached base at a .826 clip, slugged 1.333 and swiped one base. Recording a hit in all six contests, Granger heads into this week on a 13-game hitting streak, tied for tenth longest in program history. Three of those doubles and four RBI came in game two at Midwestern State. She homered and scored three times in game one versus the Mustangs. Against Texas Woman’s, Granger was 3-for-3 with a long ball and two RBI in game two.
Russell was 2-0 tossed a pair of shutouts, surrendering three hits and striking out 23 over 13 innings. The junior hurler became the program’s all-time strikeout leader on March 3 against Quincy. In her second start of the weekend, Russell fanned 10 of the 24 batters she faced, issuing two walks and allowing one hit. In her first start of the week, Russell blanked Illinois-Springfield on two hits, striking out 13 and walking three.
Smith twirled a pair of shutouts and earned a save in three appearances last weekend. She struck out 28 batters and allowed just three walks over 16.1 innings of work. Smith, a senior from Indianapolis, opened the week with a four-hit shutout with eight punchouts versus Wheeling. She also registered a six-inning shutout against West Liberty in which she fanned 12, surrendered four hits and did not issue a walk. She tossed 3.1 hitless innings and retired eight batters via strikeout in game two versus WLU. On the year, Smith is 6-0 with a 0.15 ERA and 56 strikeouts.
The above awards are voted on by the NFCA Division II Top 25 Poll Committee, which features two member coaches from each of the NCAA’s eight regions.
Selected Top Performances
Aleese Angelo, Millersville - 4 GP, 4 GS, .546 AVG, 4 HR, 7 RBI, 3 BB, .667 OBP; Heather Arnett, Pittsburg State - 4 GP/4 GS, .600 avg., 9 H, 6 R, 1 HR, 3 RBI, .867 SLG, 1.467 OPS; Jessie Baughan, West Florida - .454 (5-for-11), 2B, 3 HR, 8 RBI, 5 BB; Emma Bumatay, Northwest Nazarene - 3 GP/3 GS, .500 avg., 3 HR, 8 RBI, Game-tying homerun in bottom of seventh and walk-off home run in bottom of 9th in game three; Molly Cobb, AUM - .500, 8 H, 6 R, 2 HR, 14 RBI; Tiarra Delrosario, Lubbock Christian - 6 GP/6 GS, .526 avg, 4 2B, 2 HR, 11 RBI, 1.053 SLG; Braxton Downs, Indianapolis - 4 GP/4 GS, .563 avg., 3 2B, 2 3B, 3 RBI, 1.000 SLG; Hannah Harper West Florida - 5-14 (.357) , 5 R, 3 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 4 RBI; Allysa Lake, Charleston - 6 GP/6 GS, OPS 1.589,.471 Avg (9-17), 9 RBIs, 3 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 4 Runs; Kenzie Middleton, Colorado Christian – 11 H, 4 HR, 12 RBI; Delaney Morgan, Embry-Riddle - 4 GP/4 GS, .417 avg, 1 3B, 1 HR, 5 R, 5 RBI, 1 BB, 2 SB, .462 OB%, .833 SLG; Cassidi Mullen, UT Tyler - .714 avg, .800 OBP, 5 H, 3 R, 3 RBI, 2BB, 2 SB; Shelby Robb, Metropolitan State University of Denver - 6 GP/5 GS, 17 AB/13 Hits, .765 AVG, 8 R, 5 RBI, 5 2B, 1 BB, 2 SB; Kaylee Davis, UT Tyler – no-hitter vs. UTBP (3 K, 5 IP, 1 BB); Alanna Goble, AUM – 2-0, 0.00 ERA, 28 K, 3 BB, 8 H, 16.1 IP; Kayleigh Jones, Oklahoma Baptist – No-hitter vs. NW Oklahoma (5 IP, 11 K, 2 BB); Ava Laurent, Pittsburg State - 2 APP/2 GS, 1-0, 1.68 ERA, 0.96 WHIP, 11 SO, .133 Opp BA; Shelby Morse, Embry-Riddle - 2 App/1 GS, 1-0, 0.00 ERA, 7 H, 3 SO, 0 BB, 10 IP, 1 WP; Jade Sanders, Rogers State - 2 App/2 GS, 2-0, 0.00 ERA, 15 SO, 2 H, 4 BB, 13.0 IP; Paige Zigmund, East Stroudsburg - 2 GS, 2-0, 14.0 IP, 1.00 ERA, 15 SO, 1 BB.
The NFCA (National Fastpitch Coaches Association) is the professional organization for fastpitch softball coaches. Known for its highly-regarded Louisville Slugger/Player & Wilson/Pitcher of the Week awards, the NFCA also educates and supports softball coaches on a variety of different levels: from webinars to legal counsel, to in-person events and the National Convention.
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NFCA Division II Softball Player and Pitcher of the Week
