DENVER ? Hawai?i’s Kate Robinson and Justine Smethurst have been named the Western Athletic Conference Hitter and Pitcher of the Week, respectively. This is the third Hitter if the Week honor for Robinson who was named Pitcher of the Week last week. Smethurst has been named Pitcher of the Week four times.
Robinson, a junior from Honolulu, O`ahu (Kamehameha Schools), went on an offensive tear last weekend. She had team highs with a .636 batting average (7-for-11), six runs scored, seven hits, two doubles, two home runs, eight RBI, 15 total bases and slugging percentage of 1.364. In the first game against Utah State, Robinson drilled a two-out, two-run single. She followed that with a 2-for-3 performance in game two, scoring three runs in the game and adding an RBI double. In game three, Robinson was 4-for-4, with a single, double, two home runs, three runs scored, and five RBI. Her first home run tied the school’s single-season record with 17. Then in her final regular season at bat, she came through with her second home run of the game to break the record, previously held by former UH standout Stacey Porter in 2003.
Smethurst, a sophomore from Victoria, Australia (Shelford Girls Grammar), fired her first no-hitter of the year at Utah State this past weekend. It was her fourth of her career after throwing three perfect games last season. It also marked the second time she’s shut down the Aggies’ offense Last season, she threw her second perfect game against USU on May 5, 2006. The sophomore fired 6.0 innings, walked two and struck out 10, retiring the last sixteen batters in a row. She is now 16-7 overall and 4-2 in conference play.
Other hitter of the week nominees included: Merryann Barr of Fresno State hit .625 in a three-game sweep over Louisiana Tech and Amy Schaible of Utah State hit .444 with eight hits in six games for the Aggies.
Other pitcher of the week nominees included: Robin Mackin of Fresno State was 2-0 last week with 13 strikeouts in two appearances.