STARKVILLE, Miss. – Missouri Western senior Toni Dance and Quincy senior Torie Bunzell have been named as the NFCA Division II National Player and Pitcher of the Week, respectively, for games played February 21-28, 2011.
Dance helped power the Griffons to a 5-1 week by going 12-for-20 on the week with 10 runs, 11 RBI, two doubles, five home runs, three walks and two stolen bases. She finished the week with a .600 batting average, a .667 on-base percentage and a whopping 1.450 slugging percentage.
The centerfielder from Brisbane, Australia homered in five of her team’s six games on the week, including a grad slam against Illinois-Springfield. Dance also successfully recorded a hit in all six appearances on the week and played an integral role in the Griffons outscoring their opponents on the week by a 49-13 margin.
Missouri Western finished the week at 5-1 in the Arkansas-Monticello tournament, with their lone loss coming in the form of a 4-3 heartbreaker to the 13th-ranked hosts. The Griffons are now 9-3 on the year and received votes in this week’s NFCA Division II Top 25 poll.
Bunzell went 3-0 on the week with two shutouts, while allowing just one earned run off of 10 hits with an unbelievable 47 strikeouts. The LaSalle, Ill., native finished the week with a miniscule 0.27 ERA and limited opponents to a .117 batting average.
The Hawks’ all-time strikeout queen continued to sit batters down in mass quantities on the week by recording at least 15 strikeouts in each of her three appearances. Bunzell recorded a season-high 17 strikeouts in a 4-3 12-inning win over Fort Hays St, missing her own school record of strikeouts in a game by just two.
After going 4-1 at the Border Battle in Joplin, Mo., the Hawks are now 7-4 on the season. Quincy will play just one game this week, a home contest vs. Culver-Stockton.
Other Top Performances
Kaitlyn Witte of West Texas A&M hit .643 with nine RBI to propel the Buffs to a 6-0 week… Missouri Western’s Jackie Bishop went 3-0 with 32 strikeouts on the week… April Jowers of Armstrong Atlantic went 10-for-15 on the week with eight runs and seven stolen bases… Angelo State’s Claire Molina won two games in relief for the Rambelles to help them stay undefeated.…
2011 NFCA DII National Player of the Week
Mar. 2 – Toni Dance – Missouri Western – Sr. – CF – Brisbane, Australia
Feb. 22 – DeeshanaLynn Tafiti – Angelo St. – Jr. – 3B – Kalaheo, Hawaii
Feb. 16 – Jaycee Lovato – Adams St. – Fr. – 1B/C – Northglenn, Colo.
2011 NFCA DII National Pitcher of the Week
Mar. 2 – Torie Bunzell – Quincy – Sr. – P – LaSalle, Ill.
Feb. 22 – Jennifer DeMotte – Indianapolis – So. – P/OF – Indianapolis, Ind.
Feb. 16 – Samantha Lipperd – Sonoma St. – So. – P – Boulder Creek, Calif.
