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NM STATE'S HORTON, GRAND CANYON'S MORRISON NAMED WAC ATHLETES OF THE WEEK
NM State's
Kelsey Horton and Grand Canyon's
Yesenia Morrison have been named the Western Athletic Conference Hitter and Pitcher of the Week, respectively, for April 23-29. This is the second honor of the season and sixth of her career for Horton and the second honor of the season and of her career for Morrison.
Horton, a junior second baseman from San Clemente, Calif., hit .545 with one double, four home runs, six runs scored and 10 RBIs over three games played last week to lead the Aggies to their fourth-straight WAC regular-season title. She posted a 1.727 slugging percentage as she had a home run in all three games and multiple RBIs in each game. In the series finale, Horton hit a pair of long balls including a walk-off grand slam to give the Aggies the five-inning victory. She now has 22 home runs this season, just away from tying the NM State single-season record.
Morrison, a freshman right-hander from Grand Terrace, Calif., went 1-0 with a perfect 0.00 ERA. She earned her eighth win of the season and fourth in WAC play with a 12-0 shutout of the Roos. The complete-game shutout was her third of the season and first in conference play. Morrison allowed just four hits over five innings and held the Roos to a .222 batting average while striking out three and walking none.
Other Hitter of the Week nominees included: Grand Canyon's
Niki Gonzalez hit .667 with two doubles, three home runs and eight RBIs ...
Ashlin O'Brien of Kansas City hit .667 with two runs scored and one RBI.
Other Pitcher of the Week nominees included: NM State's
Samaria Diaz went 1-0 with a 1.17 ERA and six strikeouts over 6.0 innings last week ...
Lauren Frailey Spendlove of Utah Valley went 2-0 with a 3.39 ERA and two strikeouts in 10.1 innings of work.
NM STATE WINS FOURTH-STRAIGHT WAC REGULAR-SEASON TITLE
With a 2-1 series victory over Seattle U last weekend, NM State claimed its fourth-straight WAC regular-season title. The Aggies also secured the top seed for the WAC Tournament, which they host next week. This is the fifth time NM State will host the event, as they did so in 2010, 2012, 2015 and 2017.
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 |
Home runs |
51 |
8th |
| Kelsey Horton |
NM State |
Slugging percentage |
.777 |
15th |
| Sierra Smith |
Grand Canyon |
Triples |
12 |
20th |
| Kelsey Horton |
NM State |
RBIs |
161 |
21st |
| Kelsey Horton |
NM State |
Total Bases |
384 |
23rd |
| Rachel Rodriguez |
NM State |
Stolen bases |
82 |
26th |
| Rachel Rodriguez |
NM State |
Triples |
11 |
26th |
| Rachel Rodriguez |
NM State |
Hits |
237 |
28th |
| Rachel Rodriguez |
NM State |
Runs |
155 |
32nd |
| Kelsey Horton |
NM State |
Runs |
154 |
35th |
| Madison Cathcart |
Seattle U |
Slugging percentage |
.700 |
36th |
| Rachel Rodriguez |
NM State |
At bats |
654 |
40th |
| Kayla Green |
NM State |
Saves |
7 |
45th |
| Kelsey Horton |
NM State |
Batting average |
.391 |
47th |
UVU POSTS HIGHEST FINISH EVER IN WAC PLAY
Utah Valley managed to finish conference play a half a game ahead of Seattle U en route to earning the No. 2 seed and a first-round bye for the WAC Tournament. The 10-4 conference record and second-place finish are both program highs for UVU since joining the WAC five seasons ago.
NM STATE'S HORTON MOVING IN ON SINGLE-SEASON HOME RUN RECORD
NM State junior
Kelsey Horton belted four homers last week to move her season total to 22. She is just two home runs away from tying the NM State single-season record of 24 held by both Hoku Nohara (2011) and Fiana Finau (2015). Horton also ranks among the Aggie greats in several career records. She is first in batting average (.391) and slugging percentage (.777), third in home runs (51), fourth in total bases (384) and fifth in RBIs (161).
UVU POSTS JUST FOURTH SERIES SWEEP SINCE JOINING THE WAC
When it swept CSU Bakersfield last weekend, it was Utah Valley's fourth conference series sweep since joining the WAC prior to the 2014 season. The Wolverines swept Kansas City earlier this season and also swept the Roos in 2017, and swept CSUB during the 2014 season.
SU'S CHOATE BREAKS PROGRAM SINGLE-SEASON RUNS RECORD
With a pair of runs in the series opener at NM State on April 27, Seattle U freshman
Ally Choate broke the program Division I single-season record of 37 set by Paige Bouska in 2017. Choate now has 39 runs on the season.
NM STATE'S GLACKIN SETS SINGLE-SEASON HBP RECORD
NM State's
Fahren Glackin set the program single-season record for hit by pitch after being hit for the 14th time this season. Meanwhile, sophomore
Nikki Butler ranks tied for second with 13, the number she was hit as a freshman in 2017.
UVU'S KIRSTEN ANDERSON BECOMES ALL-TIME LEADER IN HBP
After getting hit by a pitch in Saturday's WAC regular-season finale at CSU Bakersfield, Utah Valley senior shortstop
Kirsten Andersen became the all-time program leader in hit by pitch at 17, passing current teammate
Taleigh Williams and former UVU great
Breezy Roth, who are tied for second in the UVU record books with 16.
SEATTLE U'S BOLASKY TIES PROGRAM STEALS RECORD
Seattle U senior
Nicole Bolasky currently leads the WAC with 26 steals, tying the Redhawk single-season record set by Jessica Ulrich in 2010.
UTAH VALLEY'S COOK PERFECT 22-FOR-22 IN STOLEN BASES
With two more stolen bases this past week, Utah Valley junior
Skylar Cook is 22-for-22 in stolen bases this season. The 22 stolen bases rank second in the WAC and in the UVU single-season record books behind Morgan Summers Smith's record of 24 in 2016. Cook's 22 stolen bases are also the most stolen bases that a Wolverine has ever achieved without being caught.