DENVER –
New Mexico State’s Tiare Jennings and Boise State’s Aubray Zell have been named the Verizon Western Athletic Conference Hitter and Pitcher of the Week, respectively, for April 4-10. This is the first honor of the season and second of her career for Jennings and the second honor of the season and of her career for Zell.
Jennings, a junior outfielder from Turlock, Calif. (Pitman HS), led NM State to a 2-2 record on the week, including a 2-1 mark against No. 23 Fresno State. She was 5-for-9, with all five of her hits being extra-base hits, and drew five walks. Jennings posted a double and four home runs on the week for a .556 batting average, a .714 on-base percentage and an amazing 2.000 slugging percentage. She hit two home runs in game three of the series, including the game-winning walk-off solo home run in the bottom of the sixth. Meanwhile, her home run on Friday was the lone run scored by the Aggies.
Zell, a junior from Lakewood, Calif., went 2-0 with a 0.00 ERA in 12.0 innings of work last week. For the week, she allowed just two unearned runs and struck out nine while walking one. In a series-opening 6-2 win over the Lady Techsters, she threw 7.0 innings, allowing two unearned runs while striking out five. She tossed her school-record fourth shutout of the season in the series finale, allowing four hits while striking out four. Zell, who has not lost since the first day of the season, lowered her ERA in WAC games to 0.95 and is now 9-1 on the season.
Other Hitter of the Week nominees included: Boise State’s Holly Bourke hit .500 with four RBI on the week … Courtney Moore of Fresno State hit .333 with a home run and double on the week … Hawai’i’s Sarah Robinson hit .375 with a home run last week … Cheryl Freitas of San Jose State hit .385 with two multi-hit games last wee ... Utah State’s Joreigh Landers hit .571 with a pair of doubles and four RBI on the week.
Other Pitcher of the Week nominees included: Fresno State’s Michelle Moses had 19 strikeouts in 18.1 innings and earned a complete-game win … Kaia Parnaby of Hawai‘i went 1-0 and earned a save last week ... Celisha Walker of New Mexico State went 1-0 with a 0.54 ERA and eight strikeouts last week.