Southeastern Oklahoma State senior 1B Benita Sanchez has been named the Louisville Slugger/NFCA Division II Player of the Week while Angelo State’s April Haywood earns Louisville Slugger/NFCA Division II Pitcher of the Week notice for the week ending Sunday, February 8, 2009, it was announced today. 

Benita Sanchez, a senior from Farmington, N.M., hit .737 for the opening week of the 2009 season, collecting 14 hits in 19 at-bats. She had an .800 on-base percentage, adding six walks to her 14 hits, reaching base a total of 20 times in her 25 plate appearances. With two home runs, a pair of doubles and seven RBI last week, she is slugging 1.211 from the leadoff position and has played error-free defense at first base. 

After a Tuesday doubleheader sweep of Southern Arkansas, Sanchez was named the MVP of the St. Mary’s Tournament, where she hit .688 while the Savage Storm went 4-1 on the weekend. 

April Haywood, a junior pitcher from Tacoma, Wash., was named to the All-Tournament Team at the St. Mary’s Division II Classic after helping the Rambelles to a perfect 5-0 record at the event. Haywood went 3-0 in the circle with a 1.00 ERA, including a 7-2 win over No. 3 St. Edward’s, giving up two unearned runs. She struck out 23 hitters in 21 innings of work. Against St. Edward’s, she fanned 13 hitters, just two shy of the Angelo State record. Offensively, Haywood went 2-for-20 at the plate with two home runs and eight RBI.