DENVER – Grand Canyon’s Kelsey Barak and New Mexico State’s Karysta Donisthorpe have been named the Western Athletic Conference Hitter and Pitcher of the Week, respectively, for Feb. 2-8. This is the first-ever honor for Barak and the first honor of the season and second of her career for Donisthorpe.
Barak, a senior shortstop from Fontana, Calif., had a hit in each of the Antelopes’ six games last weekend at the GCU Kick Off. She had nine hits in 20 at bats for a .450 batting average. Barak had two doubles, two home runs, nine RBIs and one stolen base over the six games to lead Grand Canyon to a WAC-best 4-2 record to start the season.
Donisthorpe, a redshirt junior from Farmington, N.M., went 3-0 with a 1.29 ERA in four appearances last week, leading the Aggies to all three of their wins during the Hotel Encanto Invitational. She pitched 16.1 innings, allowing only three earned runs while striking out 15. In 16.1 innings of work, she limited opponents to a .262 batting average.
Other Hitter of the Week nominees included: Missouri-Kansas City’s Cinda Ramos hit .500 with two doubles, two home runs and eight RBIs ... Malena Padilla of New Mexico State hit .400 with a double, three homers and seven RBIs ... Seattle U’s Breanna Timmons hit .714 with a home run and two RBIs in three games ... Dynasty Lauvai of Utah Valley hit .400 with three doubles, two homers and six RBIs.
Other Pitcher of the Week nominees included: Grand Canyon’s Taylor Nowlin went 1-1 with a 3.36 ERA and 18 strikeouts in 16.2 innings of work ... Cinda Ramos of UMKC went 1-0 with a 2.62 ERA and 10 strikeouts over 10.2 innings ... Seattle U’s Alyssa Reuble went 1-2 with a 2.56 ERA ... Bailey Moore of Utah Valley went 2-2 with a 3.85 ERA and 19 strikeouts over 23.2 innings.