TicketSmarter WAC Softball Hitter and Pitcher of the Week Announced
DENVER – Grand Canyon’s Gianna Nicoletti has been named the TicketSmarter Western Athletic Conference Hitter of the Week with Stephen F. Austin’s Kassidy Wilbur earning TicketSmarter Western Athletic Conference Pitcher of the Week honors.
Nicoletti was nearly an impossible out for the opposition. The senior hit .778 in her nine at-bats while recording an .846 on-base percentage as Grand Canyon took two of three games from New Mexico State to begin their WAC schedule. She recorded at least two hits in each game while scoring six runs during the series while driving in two additional runs. Nicoletti also recorded three steals in the final game of the set. Moreover, she worked four walks as she reached base in all but two of her 13 plate appearances.
Wilbur recorded 35 total strikeouts in 23 innings pitched as the Ladyjacks posted three wins in four games. She pitched in all four games with three starts. In the games she started, Wilbur went 3-0 with three complete games while registering a 1.67 ERA. In back-to-back starts against Louisiana Tech on Tuesday and Lamar on Friday the senior struck out 12 in each game. In her final start of the week, Wilbur notched a four-hit, eight-strikeout performance in the shutout victory against Lamar.
Other Hitter of the Week nominees included: Mekenzie Madokoro was key in Seattle U’s two wins against California Baptist as she had a pair of two-hit games while scoring twice … Dixie State’s Shea Clements had seven hits, four runs scored and eight RBI in four games … Lamar’s Kaylee Ancelot had five hits with five RBI in three games … Katelyn Mangrello recorded six hits for California Baptist while driving in a run and scoring another … Georgia Capell hit .500 in 14 at-bats for Tarleton with two homeruns and five runs scored … Gaby Garcia had five hits with three RBI and three runs scored in four games for Stephen F. Austin … Kalena Shepherd had seven hits and 10 RBI in 17 at-bats during a three-win in five-game stretch for Utah Valley … Miranda Lista notched a .400 batting average with eight RBI for Abilene Christian in five games
Other Pitcher of the Week nominees included: Stefanie Madrigal had a complete game win, five-hit outing for Seattle U against California Baptist with a pair of strikeouts … Tarleton’s Tristan Bridges had six strikeouts in three games … Aaliyah Ruiz threw a complete game win with five strikeouts for Lamar against Stephen F. Austin … Jacie Hambrick appeared in two games for Grand Canyon, she pitched 6.1 innings and earned a win against NM State … Tyler Denhart struck out 13 in 14.2 innings for Dixie State in three appearances … California Baptist’s Jazmine Castandeda threw 16.2 innings in three games, posting a 0.42 ERA with four strikeouts