Elkins tabbed as USA Softball Collegiate POW

An exceptional offensive performance against Appalachian State has earned Louisiana-Lafayette’s Lexie Elkins (Victoria, Texas) her first USA Softball National Collegiate Player of the Week honors the Amateur Softball Association announced today.

The junior catcher went 8-for-10 from the plate for a .800 average as the No. 9 Ragin’ Cajuns swept a doubleheader from the Mountaineers over the weekend.  For her efforts, the Texas native also was tabbed as the Sun Belt Conference Player of the Week for the second time this season.

“It means a lot to have been given this award,” said Elkins.  “I’m honored and thankful that my teammates and coaches continue to push me every day to get better.”

In the opener of Saturday’s doubleheader at Appalachian State, Elkins went 4-for-5 with three home runs, six RBI and three runs scored in a 21-5 victory in five innings.  She followed her game one performance with a duplicate 4-for-5 showing at the plate in the nightcap that included a pair of home runs, a career-high tying seven RBI and three runs scored in a 23-6 contest.

She homered twice in the fifth inning of game two to reach 25 home runs on the season, which eclipses her total of 24 hit in 2014 and represents the second-highest total in a single-season in school history.

With these two performances, Elkins picked up her sixth and seventh multiple-home run contests of the season.

“Lexie had a special weekend,” said Louisiana-Lafayette Head Coach Michael Lotief.  “She works extremely hard, has incredible hand-eye coordination and is a very smart, intellectual hitter. She feeds off of her teammates.  It’s a great individual honor for her, but it’s also something that we take a lot of pride in as a team and offensive lineup.”

On the week, Elkins combined for an 8-for-10 (.800 average) performance at the plate with five home runs, 13 RBI and six runs scored.  Elkins is now one of just six players nationwide to reach 20 homeruns this season and is also a Top 26 Finalist for 2015 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year.

This is the first USA Softball National Collegiate Player of the Week honor for Elkins and this marks the first time since Week Two of the 2012 season that an athlete from Louisiana-Lafayette has earned the honors.  The Ragin’ Cajuns are set to face No. 2 Oregon in Eugene, Ore. for a three-game series

2015 USA Softball National Collegiate Players of the Week
Week 1 (Feb. 5-8): Taylor Schoblocher – North Texas – Junior – Utility – Forney, Texas
Week 2 (Feb. 9-15): Lauren Haeger – Florida – Senior – Pitcher/1B – Peoria, Ariz.
Week 3 (Feb. 16-22): Jenna Lilley – Oregon – Freshman – Infield – North Canton, Ohio
Week 4 (Feb. 23 – March 1): Sierra Lawrence – Michigan – Junior – Outfield – Snellville, Ga.
Week 5 (March 2-8): Emily Carosone – Auburn – Junior – Outfield – Orlando, Fla.
Week 6 (March 9-15): Bianka Bell – LSU – Junior – Infield – Tampa, Fla.
Week 7 (March 16-22): Megan Good – James Madison – Freshman – Pitcher/Infielder – Mount Sidney, Va.
Week 8 (March 23-29): Geri Ann Glasco – Oregon – Junior – DP/Pitcher – Watkinsville, Ga.
Week 9 (March 30 – April 5): Shelby Turnier – UCF – Junior – Pitcher – Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.
Week 10 (April 6-12): Paige Parker – OU – Freshman – Pitcher – Independence, Mo.
Week 11 (April 13-19): Lexie Elkins – Louisiana-Lafayette – Junior – Catcher – Victoria, Texas

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Missouri’s Fagan, Michigan’s Betsa Named Louisville Slugger/NFCA Division I National Player and Pitcher of the Week

Missouri junior Sami Fagan and Michigan sophomore Megan Betsa were selected 2015 Louisville Slugger/NFCA Division I National Pitcher and Player of the Week respectively, for games played over April 13-19.

Sami Fagan

Fagan posted a strong week at the plate, which helped the 15^th-ranked Tigers record a 5-0 mark and move up five spots in the USA Today/NFCA Division I Top 25 poll. The junior second baseman batted .647 (11-for-17) with three doubles, a triple, three home runs, 12 RBI and nine runs scored. During her dominant week at the dish, she reached base safely 13 times for a .684 on base percentage, slugged 1.471, knocked in at least a run in all five games, recorded four multiple-hit contests and scored a season-high three runs twice.

“It’s great being able to represent our team and our program with awards like this,” Fagan said. “I’m just happy we’ve strung together some wins and I’m looking forward to getting back out there this week.”

In the SEC series at Arkansas, Fagan drove in eight runs and homered three times. The Dunnellon, Fla. native went 2-for-3 with three RBI, two runs scored and left the yard in her first at bat of the series opener and then generated three more hits, four RBI, three runs, a triple, two long balls and 11 total bases in game two against the Razorbacks. Earlier in the week, Fagan was 3-for-4 with a double, three RBI and three runs scored in game one at Western Illinois.

“I’m thrilled for Sami, she was consistently exceptional at the plate this week,” head coach Ehren Earleywine said. “She is one of the hardest working student-athletes I’ve ever had the privilege to coach and it’s great to see that incredible work ethic pay off this season. I know an award like this won’t satisfy her.”

Megan Betsa

Betsa, a native of McDonough, Ga., recorded three complete-game victories, including a five-inning no-hitter at Michigan State on April 15, keying Michigan to three of its four Big Ten wins last week. For the week, she posted a 0.82 ERA, allowing two earned runs and striking out 32 in 17 innings of work.

“I think my confidence level has gotten better over the course of the year,” said Betsa. “That was an area that I struggled with last year, so I’m just going out there mentally tough and trying to be one-pitch better than the opponent. I think I’m getting better with each outing. Last week I was just trying to do my part and allowed the fewest number of runs; that’s what I did. It was nice to see that no-hitter though.”

Against the Spartans, Betsa Struck out six and allowed just two base runners to record the second no-hitter of her career. Over the weekend, she scattered four hits, allowed and earned run and struck out 12 in five innings the Big 10 series opener versus Indiana. In the series finale, Betsa wrapped up her week with a 14-strikeout performance, surrendering a run on five hits to help the Wolverine complete the sweep of the Hoosiers.

“Megan is continuing to evolve,” head coach Carol Hutchens said. “Part of learning how to play at this level is learning how to play at this level — the game within the game. She had a lot of strikeouts last year but not nearly as much composure that she has this year. She’s been much more composed in tight situations. It’s one of the things she’s worked on all year, not letting distractions get to her. She stayed in her moment in all weekend. When she didn’t have some good pitches, she came back and just stayed in her process. She looked like she was just trying to do her part, and that’s all we need her to do.”

Player of the Week
April 21 – Sami Fagan (Missouri)
April 14 – Yvon Minogue (South Dakota)
April 7 – Sabrina Gamboa (Western Michigan)
March 31 – Mallory Foster (UT Arlington)
March 24 – Sara Hingsberger (Weber State)
March 17 – Bianka Bell (LSU)
– Shelby Pendley (Oklahoma)
March 10 – Kacie Burnett (Idaho State)
March 3 – A.J. Andrews (LSU)
Feb. 24 – Jenna Lilley (Oregon)
Feb. 17 – Lauren Haeger (Florida)
Feb. 10 – Lindsey Stephens (Texas)

Pitcher of the Week
April 21 – Megan Betsa (Michigan)
April 14 – Paige Parker (Oklahoma)
April 7 – Shelby Turnier (UCF)
March 31 – Shelby Turnier (UCF)
March 24 – Haley Chambers (SIU Edwardsville)
March 17 – Ally Carda (UCLA)
March 10  – Ally Carda (UCLA)
March 3 – Delanie Gourley (Florida)
Feb. 24 – Cheridan Hawkins (Oregon)
Feb. 17 – Shelby Turnier (UCF)
Feb. 10 – Miranda Kramer (Western Kentucky)

Selected Top Performances

• Louisiana-Lafayette’s Lexie Elkins hit .800 (8-for-10), slugged 2.300 with five home runs, 13 RBI and six runs scored in two games to earn Sun Belt Player of the Week honors…
• Atlantic-10 Player of the Week, Massachusetts’ Quianna Diaz-Patterson, hit a robust .722 (13-for-18) with 13 runs scored, six RBI, three home runs, seven walks, a .808 OBP and 1.389 slugging percentage…
• Mackenzie Audis of UCF garnered American Pitcher of the Week accolades after posting a 2-0 mark with a 0.00 ERA, 16 strikeouts and two walks in 12 innings…
• Jacksonville State’s Sara Borders batted .722 (11-for-16) with a pair of doubles, five home runs, 13 RBI and a 1.750 slugging percentage to take home Ohio Valley Conference Player of the Week recognition…
• MAC East Pitcher of the Week, Emma Johnson of Kent State, went 2-0 with 25 strikeouts, a 0.39 ERA, a one-hit shutout and only five hits allowed in 18 innings of work…
• Notre Dame’s Emilee Koerner took home ACC Player of the Week recognition after batting .688 (11-for-16) with three doubles, a home run, 11 RBI and eight runs scored…
• San Diego’s Kailey Hill was 8-for-9 (.889) with two home runs to garner West Coast Conference Player of the Week honors…
• Texas State’s Randi Rupp was selected Sun Belt Pitcher of the Week after tossing her first perfect game with nine strikeouts in five innings against Houston Baptist…
• Co-Big Ten Player and Freshman of the Week, Illinois’ Carly Thomas, batted .615 with three doubles and home run and 10 RBI…
• Co-Big Ten Player and Freshman of the Week, Sabrina Rabin of Northwestern, hit .769 with 10 hits, four multi-hit games and five stolen bases…
• JMU’s Megan Good went 3-0 with a 0.42 ERA and 16 strikeouts and also hit .444 with a home run and seven RBI to earn CAA Rookie of the Week honors…
• McNeese State’s Erika Piancastelli hit .600 (6-for-10), posted a .765 OBP and slugged 1.200 with two home runs, six RBI, nine RBI and five stolen bases to earn Southland Conference Player of the Week recognition…
• University at Albany’s Maggie Cocks was named America East Player of the Week after batting .500 (13-for-26) with four home runs, 13 RBI and eight runs scored…
• JMU hurler Jailyn Ford tossed the program’s first perfect game and finished the week 2-0 with 19 strikeouts to earn Co-CAA Pitcher of the week honors…
• Drexel’s Taylor Lee was Co-CAA Pitcher of the Week after going 4-0 with a 1.40 ERA and 13 strikeouts last week…
• WAC Player of the Week, Grand Canyon’s Camree Wartman, launched two grand slams in the same inning, hit .600, knocked in 12, scored five times and posted a 1.300 slugging percentage…
• Atlantic Sun Pitcher of the Week, North Florida’s Kaylie Wallace, wen t4-0 with a 0.90 ERA and 16 strikeouts…
• Fresno State’s Jill Compton was 3-0 with a 0.43 ERA and stuck out 15 batters to garner Mountain West Pitcher of the Week honors…
• Alabama’s Marisa Runyon hit .529 (9-for-17) with three doubles, three home runs, 14 RBI and six runs scored.