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DENVER - Grand Canyon's Niki Gonzalez and Seattle U's Carley Nance have been named the Western Athletic Conference Hitter and Pitcher of the Week, respectively, for March 12-18. This is the first-ever honor for both.
Gonzalez, a senior catcher from Tucson, Ariz., posted a .500 batting average, 1.063 slugging percentage and .529 on-base percentage over five games last week. She had three doubles, two home runs and eight RBIs to lead the Lopes to important wins over No. 17 Ohio State and Cal State Fullerton last week. Gonzalez opened the week with a 2-for-4 game, including a solo homer, in a loss to Iowa. She had her best game of the week against the No. 17 Buckeyes, when she was 3-for-4 with a double, a home run and three RBIs. Gonzalez closed out the week going 2-for-4 with a double and three RBIs in a win over the Titans.
Nance, a redshirt freshman left-hander from Maple Valley, Wash., went 2-0 with a 0.00 ERA in three appearances last week. She did not allow an earned run in 13.1 innings of work, striking out 10 and walking four while holding opponents to a .176 batting average. Nance pitched six shutout innings in a win over Bryant on Friday, striking out seven. The next day, she tossed five frames, giving up two unearned runs. Nance wrapped up her weekend with 2.1 innings of shutout softball in a 5-1 win over Portland State on Sunday.
Other Hitter of the Week nominees included: CSU Bakersfield's Chris Hipa hit .333 with a double and two RBIs ... Lia Lombardini of Kansas City hit .333 with a pair of homers and eight RBIs ... NM State's Kelsey Horton hit .300 with one double, one home run and two RBIs ...Ally Choate of Seattle U hit .500 with four RBIs.
Other Pitcher of the Week nominees included: CSU Bakersfield's Daryn Hitzel went 1-0 with a 0.00 ERA and six strikeouts in 10.1 innings of work ... Yesenia Morrison of Grand Canyon went 2-0 with a 3.50 ERA and 12 strikeouts over 20.0 innings ... Kansas City's Olivia Fluehr went 1-1 with a 3.0767 ERA with seven strikeouts over 13.2 innings last week.