LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Belhaven’s Ellie Jones and Luther’s Kendra Cooper claimed the latest 2023 Division III Louisville Slugger/NFCA Player and Wilson/NFCA Pitcher of the Week honors on Tuesday.
Jones, a sophomore first baseman from Nesbit, Miss., was 4-for-6 with four runs scored, three home runs, and seven RBI in the best-of-three championship series against Maryville to help the top-seeded Blazers claim the inaugural Collegiate Conference of the South tournament title. She hit two homers in the first game and homered again in game two. In all, Jones drove in more than half of Belhaven’s 13 runs in the series.
Cooper, meanwhile, defeated then-No. 17 Central twice in a key American Rivers Conference matchup and accounted for all five of the Norse’s victories in a 5-1 week. The Lansing, Iowa, native tossed four complete games, including two shutouts, and limited batters to a .176 average. The fifth-year senior fanned 42 while only walking four over 33.2 innings in the circle.
Other Top Performances
Emily Bartlett, Worcester State – tossed two-hit shutout (8 K, 1 BB); Bailey Comeau, Drew – 1-1, 1.25 ERA, 22.1 IP, 7 BB, 27 K, had 10-inning, three-hitter (with school-record 14 K) in a win and 12 K over 10.1 innings in a loss; Ashley Corley, Wisconsin Lutheran - .538, 4 2B, HR, 16 RBI, .808 SLG; Emilie Doty, Tufts – 9 IP, 4 H, 0 BB, 17 K; Emily Doyle, Bethany Lutheran - .500, 3 2B, 5 RBI; Bella Gasbarro, Worcester State - .571, 2B, 3 RBI, .714 SLG; Marisa Mejia, Texas-Dallas – 2-0, 0.00 ERA, 3 H, 0 R, 11 IP, BB, 6 K; Abby Pyburn, DePauw - .667, 9 R, 5-5 SB against two conference champions and in DH that wrapped Tigers’ own conference crown; Josie Steinberg, Tufts - .500, 5 R, 2 2B, 3B, 2 BB, 7 RBI; Casey Wissmiller, Illinois Wesleyan - .455, 1.364 SLG, 5 R, 2B, 3 HR, 7 RBI, hit game-tying and game-winning HRs in one game, and grand slam in other game of DH with Augustana.
Winners are selected by the NFCA Division III Top 25 Committee, which has a representative for each of the 10 NCAA regions.
2023 Wilson/NFCA Division III National Pitcher of the Week
May 9 — Kendra Cooper, Luther, Sr., RHP, Lansing, Iowa
May 2 — Gracie Ellis, Randolph-Macon, So., RHP, New Kent, Va.
April 25 — Lauren Bible, Virginia Wesleyan, So., RHP, Danville, Calif.
April 18 — Kali Morton, Pfeiffer, Jr., RHP, Mooresville, N.C.
April 11 — Gracie Ellis, Randolph-Macon, So., RHP, New Kent, Va.
April 4 — Tayah Kelley, Linfield, Sr., RHP, Myrtle Creek, Ore.
March 28 — Kennedy Carruth, Belhaven, Jr., RHP, St. Francisville, La.
March 21 — Angela Sperandeo, Lynchburg, Sr., RHP, Glen Allen, Va.
March 14 — Kendyll Cahill, Mount Union, Fr., RHP, Groveport, Ohio
2023 Louisville Slugger/NFCA Division III National Player of the Week
May 9 — Ellie Jones, Belhaven, So., 1B, Nesbit, Miss.
May 2 — Morgan Frye, Berry, Jr., 1B, Suwanee, Ga.
April 25 — Aliya Kehler, Bethany Lutheran, Fr., C, Altona, Manitoba
April 18 — Lexie Leggett, Capital, Sr., LF, Chardon, Ohio.
April 11 — Serena Gonzalez, Texas Lutheran, Fr., INF, Corpus Christi, Texas.
April 4 — Debbie Hill, Trine, Fr., DP, Whiteland, Ind.
March 28 — Allie Gordon, Belhaven, Jr., 3B, Macon, Ga.
March 21 — Sarah Watts, Lynchburg, Fr., 2B, South Boston, Va.
March 14 — Natalia Pilpil, WashU, So., UT, Santa Clarita, Calif.
2023 NFCA Division III Top 25 Committee
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