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DENVER - NM State's Alexis Maynez and Grand Canyon's Taylor Nowlin have been named the Western Athletic Conference Hitter and Pitcher of the Week, respectively, for April 10-16. This is the first-ever honor for Maynez and the second of the season and eighth of her career for Nowlin.
Maynez, a sophomore catcher from Las Cruces, N.M., hit .833 with three extra-base hits and two RBIs over two games last week. Maynez, who had only one extra-base hit on the season entering the week, recorded a remarkable 1.833 slugging percentage and a .833 on-base clip. She hit the game-ending homer in the fifth inning in the Aggies' 8-0 shutout of UMKC in the second game of the series. Maynez then hit a double and a triple in the second game of the doubleheader against the Roos. She entered the week batting .125 with a .313 slugging percentage and .263 on-base percentage.
Nowlin, a senior left-hander from Peoria, Ariz., went 2-0 with a 2.33 ERA and 16 strikeouts to just three walks in a pair of appearances last week. She gave up just one extra-base hit and held opponents to a .143 batting average over 12.0 innings. In her first appearance, she earned a complete-game victory, allowing four runs on five hits while striking out nine. Nowlin then picked up her fourth shutout of the year on Saturday against CSU Bakersfield. She nearly pitched a no-hitter, giving up one hit in the fifth and final inning. She struck out seven in just five innings. Nowlin leads the WAC with 131 strikeouts this season, nearly double the next closest pitcher. She is also tops in wins (17) and opponent batting average (.228).
Other Hitter of the Week nominees included: Grand Canyon's Sierra Smith hit .556 with a double, a triple and five RBIs ... Kendra Leach of UMKC hit .462 with a double, four RBIs and three stolen bases on the week ... Seattle U's Savannah Loomis hit .400 with one double, one home run and six RBIs ... Courtney Beavers of Utah Valley hit .500 with one triple and four RBIs last week.
Other Pitcher of the Week nominees included: NM State's Kayla Green went 1-0 with a 0.00 ERA and a save in 7.1 innings of work ... Andie Larkins of Seattle U went 0-2 with a save and posted a 1.08 ERA and eight strikeouts over 13.0 innings ... Utah Valley's Lauren Frailey went 2-1 with a 0.47 ERA and five strikeouts over 15.0 innings.