DENVER Tulsas Kelly Miller and Fresno States Jamie Southern have been named the Western Athletic Conference Player and Pitcher of the Week, respectively. This is Millers first of career honor. This is Southerns fourth honor of the season.
Miller, a sophomore from Tucson, Ariz., (Salpointe Catholic), had four hits in a doubleheader sweep of Hawaii on April 18. The Golden Hurricane is now 9-3 in league play three games behind first place Fresno State. The catcher posted three doubles and a home run for a slugging percentage of 1.667. She led the Golden Hurricane with a .714 on-base percentage. Miller currently ranks second on the team in hits (47), doubles (11) and slugging percentage (.517).
Southern, a junior from Clovis, Calif. (Clovis), went 3-0 with two shutouts and a save, while not allowing a walk and striking out 25 in 22.1 innings of work. She became the 22nd NCAA Division I player to have 1,000 or more career strikeouts on April 15 versus UTEP. She set the mark against the Miners when she struck out 10 in game one of the Bulldogs 3-0 win to move her career total to 1,005. Southern tossed a two-hitter in the win, her fifth of the year and 15th of her career. In the night cap, she picked up a save in the night cap against the Miners and struck out three to move her career total to 1,008. The save was her third of the year and eighth of her career. The saved moved her to No. 2 all-time in WAC history. Two days later she recorded a pair of wins, including a shutout, over San Jose State. Southern also added four hits and three RBI in four games for the Bulldogs.
Other player of the week nominees included: Mitzi Ing, Fresno State; Candice Rainwater, Nevada and Elisa Barrios, San Jose State.
Other pitcher of the week nominees included: Marla Pinkston, Louisiana Tech; Candice Rainwater, Nevada and Maren Genow, Tulsa.