LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Covenant’s Morgan Lane and Washington (Mo.) University’s Annie Pitkin have been selected as the Louisville Slugger/National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Division III National Hitter and Pitcher of the Week, respectively.
Lane, a junior first baseman from Chattanooga, Tenn., was a perfect 4-for-4 at the plate last week with five runs scored, a double, three homers and eight runs batted in, as the (5-1) Scots swept a doubleheader from Agnes Scott. She homered and had two RBI in a 4-3 win in the opener, and doubled and homered twice with six RBI in the nightcap, a 13-2 triumph.
Pitkin, a junior right-hander from West Springfield, Mass., held her opponents scoreless and allowed just two hits while walking none and recording 13 strikeouts in two appearances in the circle for the (4-2) Bears at the Warrior Spring Fling. She had seven strikeouts over five innings of one-hit pitching in a 7-0 victory over Westminster and fanned six and allowed one hit in 4.1 innings of relief during a 13-5 win over host Hendrix.
Other Selected Top Performances
Averett freshman outfielder Olivia Cooper hit .667 (2-for-3) with two runs, a double, RBI and two steals in a twinbill sweep of Southern Virginia. … Mary Hardin-Baylor sophomore catcher Cori Drake was 7-for-12 (.583) with three runs, a double and five RBI in a three-game American Southwest Conference sweep of LeTourneau. She went 2-for-4 in the opener, then a combined 5-for-8 in a twinbill the following day. … Covenant freshman pitcher Joni Johnson recorded a win and a save in a doubleheader sweep of Agnes Scott. The right-hander allowed no runs on one hit with no walks and three strikeouts over five innings for the week, including one hit in two innings of relief in the opener and three perfect innings in the nightcap. … Mary Hardin-Baylor sophomore right-hander Haley Parker went 2-0 for the week with 10 hits (just one for extra bases), two walks and seven strikeouts over 13 innings in a pair of shutouts of LeTourneau. … Averett junior right-hander Mary Beth Smith had six strikeouts over two perfect innings to get the win in a 23-3 victory over Southern Virginia in her lone appearance in the circle last week. At the plate, meanwhile, she batted .714 (5-for-7) with four runs, three doubles, a walk and two steals. … Washington (Mo.) University sophomore utility player Janet Taylor hit .556 (5-for-9) with three runs, a homer and four RBI in a pair of wins over Westminster and Hendrix. She went 2-for-4 against Westminster and 3-for-5 versus Hendrix.
The Louisville Slugger/NFCA Division III National Hitter and Pitcher of the Week are selected by eight NCAA Division III head coaches representing the eight NCAA regions.
2015 Louisville Slugger/NFCA Division III National Hitter of the Week
March 4 — Morgan Lane, Covenant, Jr., 1B, Chattanooga, Tenn.
Feb. 25 — Taylor Golden, DePauw, Sr., 3B, Chicago, Ill.
2015 Louisville Slugger/NFCA Division III National Pitcher of the Week
March 4 — Annie Pitkin, Washington (Mo.), Jr., P, West Springfield, Mass.
Feb. 25 — Taylor Golden, DePauw, Sr., 3B, Chicago, Ill.
