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NM STATE'S BUTLER, GREEN NAMED WAC ATHLETES OF THE WEEK
NM State's
Nikki Butler and
Kayla Green have been named the Western Athletic Conference Hitter and Pitcher of the Week, respectively, for March 26-April 1. This is the first honor of the season second of her career for Butler and the third of the season and sixth of her career for Green.
Butler, a sophomore catcher/third baseman from La Habra, Calif., hit .615 with five doubles, six runs scored and seven RBIs over five games played last week. She posted a 1.000 slugging percentage and .611 on-base percentage. Butler started the week with pair of sacrifice flies and a double in first half of a doubleheader against UTEP which accounted for four RBIs. She followed by going 7-for-10 to open WAC play at Kansas City, including hitting four doubles against the Roos. In the finale, Butler went a stellar 4-for-4 with a pair of doubles and two runs scored.
Green, a junior right-hander from Tucson, Ariz., went 3-0 with a 0.00 ERA over 19.0 innings pitched last week while holding opponents to a .130 batting average. She allowed just five unearned runs on nine hits while striking out 13 and walking six in three starts on the week. Green opened the week by holding UTEP to just two hits over six innings in an 8-6 win over the Miners. She then earned a combined shutout to open WAC play where she allowed just three hits and one walk while striking out a pair over six innings. In the series finale, Green tallied a new career-high seven strikeouts in the victory.
Other Hitter of the Week nominees included:
Ariana Acedo of CSU Bakersfield hit .500 with a double and three RBIs ... Grand Canyon's
Bianca Boling hit .778 with two doubles, a home run and five RBIs in three games last week ...
Morgan Byrn of Kansas City hit .227 with two doubles, two home runs and 12 RBIs ... Seattle U's
Ally Choate hit .470 with one double, four RBIs and two stolen bases over five games last week ...
Brianna Moeller of Utah Valley hit .417 with one RBI last week.
Other Pitcher of the Week nominees included: CSU Bakersfield's
Summer Evans went 1-0 with a save, a 2.15 ERA and three strikeouts in 13.0 innings of work ...
Olivia Fluehr of Kansas City went 2-0 with a 2.71 ERA and six strikeouts over 20.2 innings ... Seattle U's
Andie Larkins went 1-1 with a 0.58 ERA with seven strikeouts over 12.0 innings last week ...
Addie Jensen of Utah Valley went 1-1 with a 3.00 ERA and eight strikeouts in 11.2 innings of work.
SEVERAL WAC PLAYERS RANK AMONG TOP 50 IN NCAA ACTIVE CAREER LEADERS
Several WAC players rank among the Top 50 nationally in the NCAA's active career leader charts. The rankings and categories are listed below.
| Player |
School |
Category |
Total |
Ranking |
| Kelsey Horton |
NM State |
Slugging percentage |
.732 |
17th |
| Kelsey Horton |
NM State |
Home runs |
41 |
18th |
| Sierra Smith |
Grand Canyon |
Triples |
11 |
18th |
| Rachel Rodriguez |
NM State |
Triples |
11 |
18th |
| Rachel Rodriguez |
NM State |
Hits |
227 |
21st |
| Rachel Rodriguez |
NM State |
Stolen bases |
81 |
21st |
| Madison Cathcart |
Seattle U |
Slugging percentage |
.701 |
26th |
| Rachel Rodriguez |
NM State |
Runs |
146 |
32nd |
| Kelsey Horton |
NM State |
Total Bases |
331 |
33rd |
| Kelsey Horton |
NM State |
RBIs |
141 |
34th |
| Rachel Rodriguez |
NM State |
At bats |
618 |
34th |
| Nikki Butler |
NM State |
Slugging percentage |
.647 |
44th |
| Kelsey Horton |
NM State |
Batting average |
.381 |
50th |
| Kelsey Horton |
NM State |
Runs |
135 |
50th |
KANSAS CITY'S BYRN HITS GRAND SLAMS IN CONSECUTIVE GAMES
Kansas City's
Morgan Byrn hit a pair of grand slams last week in the same day - a pair of road games at Mount St. Mary's and UMBC. They were the second and third grand slams of her career. Byrn now has 14 RBIs over the past 10 games.
CSUB'S BURT CHASING SEVERAL PROGRAM CAREER RECORDS
CSU Bakersfield senior
Kaylynn Burt set CSUB's Division I career record for hit by pitch last weekend with two more, bring her four-year total to 22. Burt needs just two more steals to break CSUB's career record in that category (33, Karissa Veiga, 2011-14). Burt and fellow senior
Julea Cavazos are in a race for the school's career walks record. Cavazos is sitting on 46 while Burt has 44 as the pair are chasing down `Runner alumna Selena Gonzales' record of 47 (2015-17).
SEATTLE U HAS ALREADY SURPASSED LAST YEAR'S WIN TOTAL
Seattle U currently has a 24-16 record and has already surpassed its win total from last season when the team finished 20-32. For the first time since joining the WAC in 2013, the Redhawks collected 20 wins before the start of the league schedule.