Illinois, Michigan and Ohio State Earn Weekly Softball Awards
Illinois’ Bella Loya, Michigan’s Sarah Schaefer and Ohio State’s Lilli Piper receive Big Ten’s top honors this week
Player of the Week
Lilli Piper, Ohio State
SS – Jr. – Norton, Ohio – Walsh Jesuit
• Batted .565 with a .600 on-base percentage and 1.043 slugging percentage last week, collecting three home runs, nine RBI and scoring eight runs to help No. 17/18 Ohio State win five of seven games
• Had at least one hit in six games last week, including four multi-hit games and a stretch of nine hits in nine official at-bats that included two doubles, a home run, five RBI and five runs scored
• Added four multi-RBI games last week, including three RBI against Grand Canyon last Friday
• Earns her third career Player of the Week honor and second this season
• Last Ohio State Player of the Week: Lilli Piper (Feb. 26, 2018)
Pitcher and Co-Freshman of the Week
Sarah Schaefer, Michigan
RHP – Fr. – West Des Moines, Iowa – Waukee
• Went 2-0 in the circle with a 0.00 ERA and two complete games, adding 12 strikeouts and no walks while allowing just three hits in 12.0 innings, helping the No. 19 Wolverines sweep four games at the Miami University Invitational
• Tossed a five-inning perfect game against Robert Morris on Sunday, striking out six and needing just 49 pitches to secure Michigan’s first perfect game since May 14, 2011 (Jordan Taylor at Michigan State – also five innings)
• Added a complete-game three-hit shutout of Dayton last Saturday, recording six strikeouts
• Earns her first career Pitcher of the Week honor
• Last Michigan Pitcher of the Week: Meghan Beaubien (March 12, 2018)
• Earns her first career Freshman of the Week honor
• Last Michigan Freshman of the Week: Meghan Beaubien (Feb. 26, 2018)
Co-Freshman of the Week
Bella Loya, Illinois
C – Mission Viejo, Calif. – Mission Viejo
• Batted .500 with a .550 on-base percentage and a 1.111 slugging percentage last week, hitting three home runs with five RBI and five runs scored as Illinois won five of six games
• Recorded at least one hit in all six Fighting Illini games with three multi-hit outings
• Hit home runs in three consecutive games, including both ends of a doubleheader sweep at Fresno State last Friday
• Earns her first career Freshman of the Week honor
• Last Illinois Freshman of the Week: Taylor Edwards (March 7, 2016)
2018 Big Ten Players of the Week
Feb. 12
PL: Dani Wagner, Sr., MINN
PL: Tristen Edwards, So., NEB
P: Shelby McCombs, Sr., OSU
F: Meghan Beaubien, MICH
F: Niki Carver, OSU
Feb. 19
PL: Tristen Edwards, So., NEB
P: Meghan Beaubien, Fr., MICH
F: Meghan Beaubien, MICH
Feb. 26
PL: Lilli Piper, Jr., OSU
P: Meghan Beaubien, Fr., MICH
F: Meghan Beaubien, MICH
March 5
PL: Faith Canfield, Jr., MICH
P: Emily Oestreich, Jr., ILL
F: Rachel Lewis, NU
March 12
PL: Rachel Lewis, Fr., NU
P: Allison Doocy, So., IOWA
P: Meghan Beaubien, Fr., MICH
F: Kenna Wilkey, NU
March 19
PL: Lilli Piper, Jr., OSU
P: Sarah Schaefer, Fr., MICH
F: Bella Loya, ILL
F: Sarah Schaefer, MICH
