NEW MEXICO STATE’S RUIZ, DONISTHORPE NAMED WAC PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
New Mexico State’s Alyssa Ruiz and Karysta Donisthorpe have been named the Western Athletic Conference Hitter and Pitcher of the Week, respectively, for March 24-30. This is the first-ever honor for both.
Ruiz, a senior catcher from Temecula, Calif., finished the week with a .667 batting average, an astounding 1.667 slugging percentage and a .667 on-base percentage as the Aggies went 4-0 on the week. Five of her six hits on the week were extra base hits, as she posted three doubles, two home runs and six RBI, with two hits in each of her three games on the week.
Donisthorpe, a redshirt sophomore from Farmington, N.M., went 3-0 in her three appearances last week. She combined for 11 strikeouts in 11.1 innings of work and tossed a one-hitter in a 10-2 win over Seattle U to sweep the league-opening series. Donisthorpe had seven strikeouts in that game, one shy of her season best. She allowed just six runs on the week while facing 49 batters and holding her opposition to a .190 batting average.
Other Hitter of the Week nominees included: Grand Canyon’s Lauren Regester hit .636 with two doubles last week ... Katie Kelley of Kansas City hit .381 with three doubles, three homers and six RBI in six games on the week ... Utah Valley’s Dynasty Lauvai hit .429 with two doubles, a homer and six RBI last week.
Other Pitcher of the Week nominees included: Grand Canyon’s Stephanie Pesqueira went 1-0 with a 1.24 ERA and nine strikeouts over 17.0 innings last week ... Cinda Ramos of Kansas City had 13 strikeouts in five appearances over 21.0 innings on the week ... Utah Valley’s Josi Summers went 2-1 with 14 strikeouts over 24.0 innings last week.
UTAH VALLEY’S LAUVAI HITS TWO HOMERS IN GAME AGAINST WEBER STATE
Utah Valley sophomore infielder Dynasty Lauvai produced the first multi-home run game of her career when she went deep in the first and seventh innings of the first game of a doubleheader vs. Weber State on March 19.
GRAND CANYON POSTS WAC SEASON-HIGH 17 HITS VS. SANTA CLARA
Grand Canyon had a WAC season-high 17 hits against Santa Clara on March 22, as every Antelope that played tallied at least one hit. Haley Walker led the team with four hits, Claire Zampini had three and Kayla Henry, Stephanie Pesqueira and Kylie Shull tallied two hits apiece.
UVU’S SUMMERS THROWS FIRST NO-HITTER IN THE WAC THIS SEASON
Josi Summers threw her first career no-hitter as Utah Valley topped Albany by a score of 3-0 on March 13. The senior threw all seven innings, striking out eight Great Danes and allowing no hits for her first no-hitter in a Wolverine uniform and the first no-no thrown in the WAC this season.
UVU’S GATLIN POSTS TWO FIVE-RBI GAMES AT REBEL SPRING GAMES
Utah Valley freshman utility player Brianna Gatlin had five RBI against Howard on March 14. It was her second five-RBI performance at the Rebel Spring Games, as she drove in five against Saint Peter’s on March 9.
SEATTLE U POSTS DIVISION I RECORD SEVEN-GAME WIN STREAK
Seattle U posted a seven-game win streak from Feb. 22 to March 2. The last time the Redhawks won seven in a row was during the 2008 season at the Division II level, when the team won 11 straight games to open the season.
NM STATE SETS SCHOOL RECORD FOR HOME RUNS IN A GAME
In its 14-5 five-inning win over Seton Hall on Feb. 28, New Mexico State hit a school record seven home runs. Fiana Finau and Staci Rodriguez hit a pair of home runs apiece, while Lacey Rother, Kelsey Dodd and Tatum Reedy added one homer each. It was the fourth time this season the Aggies had 10 or more RBI in a game.
GCU’S WARTMAN POSTS 15-GAME HITTING STREAK
Grand Canyon freshman infielder Camree Wartman posted a WAC-best 15-game hitting streak from Feb. 7-23. Included in the streak were hits in two games against No. 24 Arizona and one against No. 4 Alabama, as well as six multi-hit games.
RODOLPH PICKS UP 300TH WIN AT NEW MEXICO STATE
New Mexico State head coach Kathy Rodolph picked up her 300th victory at NM State with an 11-2 win over Incarnate Word on Feb. 22. She is 312-296 (.513) in 11 seasons with the Aggies.
GRAND CANYON’S PIERSON EARNS 300TH CAREER WIN
Grand Canyon head coach Ann Pierson tallied her 300th career victory on Feb. 22 with a 9-4 win over Southern Utah. In her 11th season of coaching, Pierson has a 310-256-2 (.548) record, all with the Antelopes.
POWERS PICKS UP 250TH CAREER WIN
Seattle U head coach Dan Powers picked up his 250th career victory on Feb. 16 in a 4-2 win over Akron. In his 11th season at the helm, Powers has a 258-264-1 (.494) career record.
NEW MEXICO STATE POSTS BACK-TO-BACK WALK-OFF WINS
New Mexico State posted a pair of walk-off wins on Feb. 15 over Northern Colorado and Iowa State. The first was a grand slam by junior Staci Rodriguez for the 4-3 win over the Bears, followed by a single by sophomore Brennalyn Nakamura to beat Iowa State, 5-4.
RETURNING ALL-CONFERENCE PLAYERS
Three first team All-WAC players from last year return in New Mexico State’s Staci Rodriguez, the reigning WAC Player of the Year, and Seattle U’s Bubba Morrow and Isabella Geronimo. New Mexico State’s Emma Adams and Malena Padilla are the lone returners from the second team.
Bakersfield’s Shay Fryer and Karissa Veiga were named first team All-Pacific Coast Softball Conference (PCSC) last year, while Amber Mills was named to the second team and Kelsie Monroe was an honorable mention honoree. Utah Valley’s Amanda Robinson was named first team All-PCSC, while teammate Jamie North was named to the second team and Kelli Fox and Josi Summers were honorable mention honorees.
Katie Kelley of Kansas City was named first team All-Summit League. Meanwhile, Grand Canyon’s Stephanie Pesqueira, Kayla Henry and Claire Zampini were named first team All-PacWest, with Pesqueira also earning Pitcher of the Year honors. Teammates Kiki Sepulveda and Kailey Regester were named second team All-PacWest, while Lauren Regester and Nicole Newbury were third team selections.
NEW MEXICO STATE PICKED TO WIN 2014 WAC TITLE
In a preseason vote of the six WAC coaches, New Mexico State was selected as the preseason favorite to win the title. The Aggies took the top spot with 25 points and five first-place votes, followed by Seattle U in second place with 19 points and the other first-place vote. Utah Valley was third with 14 points, just ahead of Bakersfield in fourth place with 13 points. Kansas City and Grand Canyon rounded out the poll with 10 and nine points, respectively.
SEATTLE U TO HOST 2014 WAC TOURNAMENT
Seattle U will host the 2014 WAC Softball Tournament. The five eligible teams will advance to the double-elimination tournament, which will be held at Logan Field May 8-10. It is the first time the Redhawks have hosted the event.