UVU’S ROBINSON, GCU’S PESQUEIRA NAMED WAC PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
Utah Valley’s Amanda Robinson and Grand Canyon’s Stephanie Pesqueira have been named the Western Athletic Conference Hitter and Pitcher of the Week, respectively, for April 21-27. This is the first-ever honor for Robinson and the fourth honor of her career for Pesqueira.
Robinson, a senior catcher/first baseman player from Lakewood, Calif., hit .556 with eight RBI and a home run in each of her four games last week, posting an astounding 1.889 slugging percentage and a .667 on-base percentage. She also drew three walks. Robinson went a perfect 2-for-2 in the opening game of a doubleheader vs. Pac-12 Utah, hitting a two-run homer and delivering a two-RBI single to account for all four Wolverine runs in the game. She has now homered in seven of her last eight games.
Pesqueira, a senior right-hander from Tempe, Ariz., threw a pair of complete-game victories last weekend to lead the Antelopes to the WAC regular-season title in their first year at the Division I level. In the series opener, a 4-3 win at Seattle U, she threw a four-hitter with two strikeouts. In the series finale, Pesqueira scattered five hits and allowed just one run with five strikeouts on her way to wrapping up WAC play with a perfect 8-0 record. She has not suffered a loss in her last 15 starts, dating back to March 21.
Other Hitter of the Week nominees included: Bakersfield’s Briana Pontecorvo hit .429 with six hits and four RBI last week ... Claire Zampini of Grand Canyon hit .667 with one RBI on the week ... Kansas City’s Alex Friloux hit .375 with a pair of doubles ... Malena Padilla of New Mexico State hit .556 with a double, two home runs and six RBI on the week.
Other Pitcher of the Week nominees included: Bakersfield’s Kelsie Monroe went 0-2 with a 2.14 ERA and 17 strikeouts on the week ... Katie Kelley of Kansas City went 2-1 with a 0.91 ERA and seven strikeouts last week ... New Mexico State’s Celisha Walker went 1-0 with seven strikeouts in 9.2 innings of work last week.
GRAND CANYON CLAIMS WAC REGULAR-SEASON TITLE IN FIRST YEAR
Grand Canyon won two of three games at Seattle U last weekend to capture the WAC regular-season title in its first season at the Division I level. The ‘Lopes didn’t lose a series during league play this season.
WAC TO STREAM SOFTBALL TOURNAMENT FROM SEATTLE U
The WAC, in conjunction with its website partner NeuLion, will stream the 2014 WAC Softball Tournament live from Seattle, Wash. Viewers can sign up by visiting www.WACSports.tv. The double-elimination tournament will be held May 8-10 at Logan Field on the Seattle U campus. The first game begins at 11 a.m. (PT) Thursday, May 8. Every game of the tournament can be viewed for a single subscription price of $9.95. More information and how to subscribe to any of these video streaming events can be found at www.WACSports.tv.
UTAH VALLEY’S ROBINSON POSTS THIRD MULTI-HOME RUN GAME OF CAREER
Utah Valley senior Amanda Robinson notched the third multi-home run game of her career when she homered twice during a 2-for-2, four-RBI performance at Idaho State on April 15. She opened the season with just one long ball in her first 25 games and has now hit nine over 19 games in the month of April.
NM STATE BREAKS WAC RECORD FOR RUNS IN AN INNING
New Mexico State set the record for runs in an inning in a WAC game with 17 in the first inning of the series finale against Bakersfield on April 12. The Aggies plated 17 runs on 11 singles, six walks, two players hit by a pitch and one error. The previous record for runs in an inning was 13 by Hawai‘i against Nevada during the 2010 season.
UTAH VALLEY’S ROBINSON BECOMES ALL-TIME HOME RUN LEADER
On April 12, senior Amanda Robinson became Utah Valley’s all-time leader in home runs when she connected for her 32nd career homer in the fourth inning at Grand Canyon, passing Amanda Perez (2009-2012). Robinson now has 39 home runs on her career.
NM STATE’S ROTHER TIES WAC RECORD FOR WALKS IN A GAME
New Mexico State senior outfielder/catcher Lacey Rother tied the WAC record for walks in a game with four, including one intentional walk, in the series finale against Bakersfield on April 12. She is tied with six other players for the record.
UVU’S LAUVAI HITS TWO HOMERS AGAINST WEBER STATE
Utah Valley sophomore 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 twinbill vs. Weber State on March 19.
SEATTLE U, UVU SET SIX WAC SEASON HIGHS IN 13-12 GAME
In the series finale between Seattle U and Utah Valley on April 5, which the Wolverines won 13-12, the two teams combined to set six WAC season highs – runs scored (25), hits (29), RBI (19), doubles (9), total bases (53) and walks (11). In addition, Utah Valley tied the league’s season high with 17 hits in the game and Wolverine Debra Lovell tied the WAC single-game mark this season with 10 total bases. Seattle U’s Lisa Maulden tied the WAC single-game record in conference games with four runs scored.
GCU 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 WAC’S FIRST NO-HITTER IN 2014
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 TOURNAMENT
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 DI 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 319-302 (.514) 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 320-258-2 (.553) 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 2674-273-1 (.492) 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.
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.