DENVER – Utah Valley’s Debra Lovell and Grand Canyon’s Stephanie Pesqueira have been named the Western Athletic Conference Hitter and Pitcher of the Week, respectively, for March 31-April 6. This is the first-ever honor for Lovell and the second honor of the season for Pesqueira.
Lovell, a senior infielder from Downey, Calif., went 7-of-13 with a double, three home runs and seven RBI in four games last week. She posted a .538 batting average, a 1.308 slugging percentage and a .571 on-base percentage. Lovell drove in three runs against Utah State to start the week and added three more RBI in the series finale against Seattle U. In a 13-12 win over the Redhawks, she recorded the first multi-home run game of her career, going deep twice to help the Wolverines to the victory. Lovell’s second homer of the game, a solo shot, tied the score at 9-9 in UVU’s do-or-die seventh inning.
Pesqueira, a senior right-hander from Tempe, Ariz., went 2-0 with a WAC-best 0.58 ERA and no walks in two complete games last week. She opened the week with a five-inning run-rule shutout of Bakersfield, scattering four hits and striking out two. Pesqueira followed it with another victory over the Roadrunners in the series finale, giving up one run on four hits over seven innings. She has now made seven straight starts without suffering a loss and has picked up a conference-best 10 wins on the season.
Other Hitter of the Week nominees included: Grand Canyon’s Lauren Regester hit .545 with a home run and three RBI last week ... Cinda Ramos of Kansas City hit .500 with a homer and six RBI on the week ... New Mexico State’s Tatum Reedy hit .800 with three doubles and three RBI in two games played last week ... Lisa Maulden of Seattle U hit .500 with three doubles, a homer and seven RBI last week.
Other Pitcher of the Week nominees included: New Mexico State’s Celisha Walker went 1-0 with a 1.24 ERA on the week.