Louisiana’s Sanders, Villanova’s Lawrence garner Louisville Slugger/NFCA Division I weekly honors
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Louisiana shortstop DJ Sanders and Villanova southpaw Brette Lawrence named Louisville Slugger NFCA Division I National Player and of the Week, respectively, for games played April 17-23, announced the Association on Tuesday afternoon.
Sanders was a familiar site on the base paths last week. She reached base safely in 14 of 15 plate appearances and scored all but once, totaling 13 runs. The junior from Columbus, Miss. also drew nine walks and recorded a .933 on-base percentage. When she did have a chance to swing the bat, Sanders recorded five hits (5-for-6), four of which left the park, and drove in 10 runs. She opened the scoring with a two-run first-inning homer in a 11-9 road win at then-No. 4 Texas A&M. Sanders also drew a pair of two-out walks that set up a grand slam and a base-clearing double. In the first two games of a Sun Belt doubleheader versus Georgia State, she was 4-for-4 with three dingers, seven RBI and seven runs scored. Her four long balls brought her NCAA-leading total to 27.
Highlighted by a perfect game against St. John’s, Lawrence was 5-0 with a 0.76 ERA and 21 strikeouts to just three walks in 27.1 innings of work. While holding St. John’s offense, who owned the BIG EAST’s top batting average, scoreless in two starts, the senior from Sparks, Nev. limited her opposition to a .194 batting average. In the six-inning perfecto, Lawrence struck out four Red Storm batter in an 8-0 win. A day earlier, she surrendered four hits, struck out seven and did not walk a batter in a complete-game 2-0 triumph over St. Johns. Additionally, she earned a complete-game win over Monmouth and collected a pair of wins against Fairleigh Dickinson in which she did not allow a run and struck out five in seven innings of work.
Selected Top Performances
Katiyana Mauga, Arizona (Pac-12 Player of the Week)- .474, 9 H, 5 HR, 9 RBI, 1.316 SLG; Rachel Garcia, UCLA (Pac-12 Pitcher & Freshman of the Week)- 2-0, save, 0.00 ERA, 2 R, 0 ER, 16 K, 4 BB, 8 H, .151 opp. BA, 14 IP, .400 BA, 4 H, RBI; Taran Alvelo, Washington– 2-0 at Alabama, 12 K, SHO, 12 IP; Kelly Barnhill, Florida (SEC Pitcher of the Week)- 2-0, SHO, 0 R, 25 K, 1 BB, 12 IP; Kayli Kvistad, Florida (SEC Player of the Week)- .636, 7 H, 8 RBI; Sarah Cornell, Hofstra (CAA Pitcher of the Week)- 2-0, 1.00 ERA, SHO, 18 K, .122 opp BA, no-hitter vs. Stony Brook (9K); Megan Good, JMU (CAA Player of the Week)- 3-for-4, 2 2B, HR, 2.000 SLG, .833 OBP, 4 RBI, 1-0, 0.81 ERA, 1 R, 5 H, 4 K; 2-0, SHO, 0 R; Abby Morrow, Radford (Big South Co-Pitcher of the Week)- 4-0, 0.26 ERA, 3 SHO, 1 R, 15 K, 3 BB, 26.2 IP; Abby Stoner, Western Michigan (MAC West Player of the Week)- .545 (6-for-11), 2 HR, grand slam, 8 RBI, 4 BB, .667 OBP; Emily Watson, Tulsa (American Athletic Conference Pitcher of the Week)- 3-0, 0.37 ERA, 31 K, 0 BB; Jordan de los Reyes, Illinois State (MVC Player of the Week)- .692, 2B, 3 HR, 10 RBI, 1.462 SLG; Vicky Kinney, Omaha (Summit League Player of the Week)- .667 (10-for-15), .688 OBP, 1.133 SLG, 2B, 2 HR, 7 RBI; Maddie Houlihan, Minnesota (Big Ten Player of the Week)- .526, 2 HR, 8 RBI, 7 R, .571 OBP; Sara Groenewegen, Minnesota (Big Ten Pitcher of the Week)- 3-0, 2 SHO, 0 R, 35 K, 2 BB, 25 IP; Sam Dellinger, Creighton (BIG EAST Player of the Week)- .588, 3 HR, 8 R, 7 RBI, 1.294 SLG