It was a split vote this week–unlike many where the same player gets both the NFCA and USA Softball POW honors.  This week the SEC took one set of honors and the Big Ten claimed the other!

***

LSU’s Andrews, Florida’s Gourley Earn Louisville Slugger/NFCA Division I National Player and Pitcher of the Week Honors

Behind a near perfect weekend at the plate and almost flawless outings in the circle, LSU outfielder A.J. Andrews and Florida’s Delanie Gourley were named the 2015 Louisville Slugger/NFCA Division I National Player and Pitcher of the Week, respectively for games played over Feb. 23-March 1.

A.J. Andrews

Andrews, a senior from Oldsmar, Fla., batted .909 (10-11) with 13 RBI, nine runs and seven stolen bases as the Tigers remained undefeated and improved their program-record start to 21-0. After not registering a hit in her first game (0-1, 2 BB) of the Purple and Gold Challenge, she was perfect in every game the rest of the weekend (10-10, 5 BB).

“I’m really excited, and so humbled and blessed to have earned this award,” Andrews on winning the award. “It’s an honor that I’ve been working towards my whole career to achieve and it’s amazing to have so many people that believe in me and allow me to play the game that I love. As a senior in my final year, I have been able to accomplish so much thanks to my coaches and the teammates, and I can’t thank them enough for their support.”

The speedy outfielder tallied a double and three triples to slug 1.545 and reached base safely in 17 of 18 plate appearances for a .944 on base percentage. In addition, she did not strikeout, recorded four multiple-hit games and three multiple-RBI contests, including a career-high six against Stephen F. Austin.

On being able to win the award with the team playing so well: “Coach Torina has told us all season to pass the bat and play for the person in front of you and behind you, and I think that has really helped us this year because when you play for the team the game seems so much easier,” said Andrews. “It’s great to know that you have 20 other people on the team who you trust to do whatever it takes for the team to succeed, and I think winning an award like this is a testament to that as well as the start to the season we’ve had.”

Delanie Gourley

In a matchup of the top two teams, Gourley held a high-powered Oregon offense to just two hits and twirled a complete-game shutout for the Gators in the 3-0 victory. The lefty struck out eight and did not walk a batter as she faced a team that had six players in their lineup batting .400 or better. A native of Lakeside, Calif., Gourley, just 20 miles form her hometown, recorded two wins, tossed 11 scoreless innings, struck out 13 and held opponents to a .086 batting average.

“Thank you to the NFCA for recognizing Delanie in her efforts to help our team to a 4-0 week,” said head coach Tim Walton. “I am so proud of this lefty and what she brings to our team both on and off the field. The fire in her eyes was very noticeable, and I’m looking forward to her using this past week and this honor to help catapult her and our team to a strong rest of the season.”

Player of the Week
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
March 3 – Delanie Gourley (Florida)
Feb. 24 – Cheridan Hawkins (Oregon)
Feb. 17 – Shelby Turnier (UCF)
Feb. 10 – Miranda Kramer (Western Kentucky)

Selected Top Performances

• Michigan’s Sierra Lawrence on her way to Big Ten Player of the Week honors belted five home runs, batted .786, drove in 11 runs and scored nine times…
• Conference USA Pitcher of the Week Cara Goodwin of UAB, went 4-0 with a 0.65 ERA at the Citrus Classic with a complete-game shutout against then No. 13 Minnesota…
• Oregon State’s Hannah Akamine took home Pac-12 Player of the Week plaudits batting .571(8-14) with two doubles, a home run, nine RBI and seven runs scored…
• Krista Menke of North Dakota State went 3-0 with a 1.77 ERA, one save and 39 strikeouts in 23.2 innings of work to earn Summit League Pitcher of the Week honors…
• USC Upstate’s Cheyenne Griffin was selected Atlantic Sun Player of the Week after batting .700 (7-10) with four home runs, nine RBI and a 2.000 slugging percentage at the Winthrop Invitational…
• Pac-12 Pitcher of the Week, California’s Stephanie Trzcinski, was 4-0 with a 0.00 ERA and 15 strikeouts, while holding her opponents to just three hits in 13.2 innings…
• Big Sky Player of the Week, Idaho State’s Vicky Galasso, batted .667 (10-15) with three home runs, nine RBI, five runs, a .737 on base percentage and 1.400 slugging percentage…
• Mercer’s Kirsten Stevens was named Southern Conference Pitcher of the Week after a 3-0 week with a 0.84 ERA and 22 strikeouts in 16.2 innings of work…
• Krystal Puga of St. John’s batted .467 (7-15) with three home runs, nine RBI and four runs scored to garner Big East Player of the Week honors…
• Minnesota’s Sara Groenewegen tossed a pair of complete-game without allowing an earned run and striking out 23 in 13 innings against UAB and Mississippi State to grab Big 10 Pitcher of the Week accolades…
• Grand Canyon’s Kailey Regester went 2-0 and did not allow a run in 11 innings of action, which included a complete-game shutout to be named WAC Pitcher of the Week…
• Mason Robinson of Murray State went 2-0 in the circle with two complete games, including a shutout and held opponents to a .160 average in 14 innings…
• Stanford’s Erin Ashley batted .533 (8-15) with a double, home run and 10 RBI…
• Auburn’s Kasey Cooper batted .500 with a double, three home runs, nine RBI and four runs scored… Florida’s Aleshia Ocasio went 2-0 with a save, struck out 21 and allowed just one earned run in 15 innings…
• Lamar’s Jenna Holland batted .500 (7-14) and slugged .929 with three doubles, a home run and nine RBI to garner Southland Player of the Week plaudits.

---

Sierra Lawrence tabbed Collegiate Player of the Week

University of Michigan junior outfielder Sierra Lawrence (Snellville, Ga.) headlined the Wolverine’s offense this past weekend at the ASU Louisville Slugger Invitational in Tempe, Ariz. en route to earning her first-ever USA Softball Collegiate National Player of the Week accolades.  Hitting from the leadoff spot, Lawrence went yard five times over the weekend, including multiple home runs in two games, to lead to her team to a perfect 5-0 record.

“The past couple weeks, I’ve just been working really hard to get back to where I need to and just do my part,” said Lawrence.  “It has a lot to do with improved confidence.  You get better with more at-bats and pitches, and as you start to do better, you start to build that confidence.  They really go together.”

Heading into the weekend hitting .267, Lawrence nearly tripled her batting average after reaching base safely in each content in Tempe.  Going 11-for-14 (.786) with a 2.00 slugging percentage, Lawrence racked up 11 RBI on the week thanks in large to five home runs and two doubles.  In the Wolverines first game of the weekend, Lawrence was perfect at the plate as she went 2-for-2 with four RBI as both hits came via the long ball.  The Georgia native was just as impressive in her first outing against then-No. 21 Arizona State, going 3-for-4 with two RBI and one home run to lead her team to a 7-5 win.

Lawrence’s hot bat continued in a rematch against Toledo and Binghamton as she combined for a 3-for-4 outing with two RBI, three runs scored and one walk in the two contests.  In Michigan’s final game of the tournament, Lawrence once again led her team to victory over the Sun Devils, matching her earlier performance with two home runs, three RBI and two runs scored.  With the wins, Lawrence helped her team jump to the No. 2 spot in the ESPN.com/USA Softball Collegiate Top 25 Poll this week.

“Sierra broke through and was lights outs,” said Michigan Head Coach Carol Hutchins.  “She watched a film of herself from the fall because she just wasn’t staying loaded.  She’s such a student of the game and figured it right out.  Boy was she fantastic.”

For the season, Lawrence in batting .390 (23-for-59) with five home runs, 20 RBI and 19 runs scored.  Through 19 games played, Lawrence is also boasting a .712 slugging percentage and .465 on-base percentage while leading the team with nine stolen bases.

This is the first USA Softball Collegiate National Player of the Week honors for Michigan, who now sets their sights on the Judi Garman Classic in Fullerton, Calif. where they will face three Top 25 ranked opponents, including the No. 1 Florida Gators.

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.