UVU’S LOVELL, GCU’S PESQUEIRA NAMED WAC PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
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.
SEATTLE U, UTAH VALLEY SET SIX WAC SEASON HIGHS IN HIGH SCORING AFFAIR
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.
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 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 314-297 (.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 312-257-2 (.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 260-266-1 (.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.
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.