PLAYERS OF THE WEEK ? New Mexico State’s Hoku Nohara and Fresno State’s Morgan Melloh have been named the Western Athletic Conference Hitter and Pitcher of the Week, respectively. This is the first career WAC Player of the Week honor for both.
Nohara, a freshman first baseman from Waimanalo, Hawaii (Kamehameha) was named the Troy Cox Classic Most Valuable Player, leading the Aggies to a perfect 5-0 record over the weekend and a 6-0 mark throughout the week. Nohara finished the weekend going 8-for-13 at the plate for a batting average of .615. She hit two home runs, a triple and a pair of doubles. Nohara also scored four runs and recorded an impressive nine RBI. Her weekend was highlighted with the game-winning double against Oklahoma State in the bottom of the seventh with two outs and a full count.
Melloh, a freshman from Fishers, Ind. (Hamilton Southeastern), went 3-1 at the Palm Springs Classic. She ended the tournament with a 3-1 record with three complete games, including two shutouts. Melloh had a 1.14 ERA, allowing four earned runs in four appearances, while striking out 32 and walking only six. Against Long Island, the freshman struck out 11, leading the Bulldogs to a 3-0 win. Melloh also made a relief appearance against No. 25 Texas to lead Fresno State to a 9-7 win.
Other hitter of the week nominees included: Haley Perkins of Fresno State hit .89 with two doubles and four RBI as the Bulldogs went 3-2 ... Kate Robinson of Hawai?i hit .455 with four RBI and two home runs for the Rainbow Wahine ... Amberley Waits of Louisiana Tech hit .545 with six hits ... Noelle Micka of Nevada hit .555 for the Wolf Pack with her first career home run.
Other pitcher of the week nominees included: Courtney Baughman of Hawai?i went 2-0 with a 0.50 ERA in two appearances last week ... Mandi Bertsch of Louisiana Tech was 1-1 with a 2.33 ERA with a win against Southeastern Louisiana ... Richelle Villescas of Nevada pitched a complete game against Loyola Marymount ... Kim Watson of New Mexico State went 5-0 with four complete games and 25 strikeouts for the Aggies last week ... Roxanne Bejarano of San Jose State went 1-0 with nine strikeouts in a win against Saint Marys.
ON DECK ? In week four of WAC softball, six of seven teams are in action this week, with Utah State taking another week off. The six teams that are in action are all playing in tournaments on the road. After defeating then-No. 1 Arizona two week ago, Nevada will once again take on the top ranked team in the nation, Alabama in Seattle. San Jose State will face No. 3/2 Arizona State on March 2 in Tempe. Hawai?i leaves Honolulu for the Eller Media Stadium Classic Las Vegas.
IN THE POLLS ? Hawai?i remains the only WAC team ranked in both polls. The Rainbow Wahine are No. 15 in both the USA Today/NFCA Coaches’ Poll and tied for No. 13 in the ESPN.com/USA Softball poll. Fresno State is ranked No. 22 in the ESPN.com poll. Nevada is receiving votes in the ESPN.com poll.
HAWAI?I’S ROBINSON DRAFTED ? Hawai?i senior first baseman/pitcher Kate Robinson became the first Rainbow Wahine to be drafted to the National Pro Faspitch league. She was selected in during yesterday’s NPF Senior Draft in the second round, No. 11 overall by the Akron Racers.
Robinson, a 2007 first team Easton All-American and second team NFCA All-American, is already off to a strong start in her senior campaign. Last week in the Oceanic Time Warner Cable Paradise Classic, Robinson hit .389 with two doubles, two home runs, four RBI, and three runs scored. She also went 2-1 on the mound with a 1.33 ERA in 21.0 innings pitched. She is the preseason choice as WAC Player of the Year and is also one of 50 players to be on the prestigious 2008 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year Watch List.
Robinson had a record breaking season in 2007 as she helped lead the Rainbow Wahine to their first ever NCAA Super Regional. The senior from Honolulu, O`ahu and Kamehameha Schools product, set new school single-season records with 19 home runs and 72 RBI. Robinson was seventh in the nation in RBI with 1.13 per game and 16th with .30 home runs per game. Overall, Robinson hit .358 (67-for-187) with 37 runs scored, 13 doubles, and had a slugging percentage of .733. She had career highs in almost every offensive and pitching statistical category.
FRESNO STATE’S WRIGHT EARNS 1,100 VICTORY ? Head Coach Margie Wright earned her 1,100 victory at Fresno State on Monday in game two of the Bulldogs double-header vs. Eastern Michigan at Bulldog Diamond. Wright is the NCAA’s all-time winningest softball coach with 1,263 career wins. The Bulldogs defeated the Eagles 11-0 in five innings in game one, and 11-3 in game two. Fresno State now improves to 10-3 on the season and 4-0 at home.
NEW MEXICO STATE'S RODOLPH REACHES MILESTONES ? New Mexico State’s softball head coach Kathy Rodolph has reached two and is about to embark on a third milestone in her career. Over the weekend in the Troy Cox Classic, Rodolph reached her 300th collegiate victory against Utah Valley with a 12-8 win. Then on Sunday, Feb. 24, Rodolph tied NMSU’s all-time coaches’ win-record with 108. She is one game away from being the winningest coach in the program’s history.
FRESNO STATE’S MACKIN COMPETES FOR TEAM CANADA ? Fresno State junior pitcher Robin Mackin was named to the 2008 Canadian Softball Olympic Team. Mackin will redshirt this season as she prepares to play for her country.
Mackin, an All-American as a sophomore, pitched for Canada during the summer and pitched during tryouts in October at the China Cup. Mackin is the ninth Fresno State player to make an Olympic team. She is also the third to make an Olympic team from a country outside the US.
The junior will continue to go to school in the fall, but will leave in the spring to join the Canadian team as they prepare for the Beijing Olympics in August. She will have two years left of eligibility when she returns next year.
This will be the last year softball will be played in the Olympics, an even bigger opportunity for Mackin. Canada is one of eight teams competing.
The Canadian team will travel to Las Vegas in late January to begin centralized training and play several games against NCAA competition. They will then travel to Australia in March where they will continue their training at the site of the 2000 Olympic Games in Blacktown, Australia and will play against the Australian and Japanese national teams.
HAWAI?I TO HOST 2008 TOURNAMENT ? For the first time ever the WAC Softball Tournament will be held in Honolulu, Hawai?i. This will be only the third tournament since 1999. All seven teams will advance to the double-elimination tournament. The tournament will be held at the Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium from May 7-10. Second-seeded Nevada captured its second WAC Tournament last season at home in Fresno. The Bulldogs were outstanding in the tournament not dropping a single game.
HAWAI?I’S ROBINSON CONTINUES OFFENSIVE ASSAULT ? Hawai?i’s senior All-American Kate Robinson has got off to a strong start to this young season. She has team-highs with a .414 average (12-for-29), seven runs scored, four home runs, and eight RBI. On the mound, she is 3-2 with a 1.52 ERA. Robinson has thrown four complete games in five starts with a pair of shut outs. Fellow All-American, junior third baseman Clare Warwick continues to be consistent, hitting .389 (14-for-36). She has scored six runs and has a double, two homers, and six RBI thus far. She is also 1-for-1 in stolen bases and has a 1.000 fielding percentage at the hot corner. Junior rightfielder, Tanisha Milca looks to bounce back after struggling a little in the Palm Springs Classic. She still is hitting .333 (11-for-33), has a team-highs in doubles and runs (tied with Robinson at seven).
RETURNING ALL-WAC PLAYERS ? The WAC will feature eight players who were 2007 first team all-WAC performers. Fresno State returns junior third baseman Haley Perkins and junior second baseman Jenna Cervantez. Hawai?i returns senior first baseman Kate Robinson, senior outfielder Kaulana Gould and junior third baseman Clare Warwick. Louisiana Tech returns its only first-team all-WAC honoree from last season in junior outfielder Emma Barnes. Also coming back this season are San Jose State outfielder Liz Perez and Nevada outfielder Brittany Puzey. Second team returnees include: catcher Katie Grimes, Hawai?i, second baseman Kym Silagyi, Nevada, third baseman Stephanie Herrera, New Mexico State, shortstop Valana Manuma, Hawai?i, outfielder Sarah Hunt, Nevada, outfielder Tanisha Milca, Hawai?i, outfielder Brandi Peiler, Hawai?i, designated player Michelle Beach, Nevada and pitcher Kim Watson, New Mexico State.