LOUISVILLE, Ky. – For the second consecutive week, UCLA’s Megan Grant and Tennessee’s Karlyn Pickens were named Division I Louisville Slugger/NFCA Player and Wilson/NFCA Pitcher of the Week, respectively, for contests played April 7-13. Pickens is the first student-athlete to collect three consecutive weekly plaudits, while Grant is the first back-to-back player recipient since the award was split to honor both players and pitchers in 2015.
Grant outdid herself from a week ago, going 6-for-9 (.667) with five home runs, two of which were grand slams, 11 RBI and six runs scored. She slugged a monstrous 2.333 and posted a 3.083 OPS. Grant homered in all four games last week, including a pair in game one of a Big Ten sweep of Washington. Her grand slams came in that contest and at Cal Baptist. Grant took over the NCAA lead in home runs (22) and tops all Division I players with 68 RBI.
Pickens posted two more wins in SEC action, leading the Lady Vols to a series win at then-No. 1 Texas. She went the distance in both victories, allowing one run in each start, scattering 10 hits, striking out 18 and walking four. Pickens surrendered just one extra-base hit, a double in the series finale. The junior hurler fanned 10 in the series finale, allowing six hits and walking one. Pickens also earned two road wins at Oklahoma, when the Sooners with No. 1.
The awards are voted on by the NFCA Division I Top 25 Poll Committee, which features one member head coach from each of the NCAA’s 31 conferences.
Selected Top Performances
Elisa Allen, Binghamton - .714, 4 HR, 6 RBI, 2.492 SLG, 3.179 OPS; Jordy Bahl, Nebraska - .545, 6 H, 2 HR, 7 RBI, 4 R, 2-0, 1.27 ERA, 19 K, CG, .171 opp. BA, 11 IP; Maya Bland, Oklahoma – 2 game-winning home runs vs. Oklahoma State and at Alabama; Chloe Borges, Hawai’i - .800, 2 B, 2 HR, 3 RBI, 4 R, 5 BB, HBP, 2.200 SLG, .909 OBP; Olivia Branstetter, South Alabama - .700, 3 R, 2 RBI, BB, HBP, GW walk-off single vs. Marshall; Kenzie Brown, Arizona State – 2-0, SV, 0.89 ERA, SHO, 2 CG, 9 H, 4 BB, 25 K, 15.2 IP; Jessie Clemons, Iowa State - .692, 9 H, 2 2B, 2 RBIBB, 3-3 SB, .714 OBP; Ashley Corpuz, George Washington - .357, 5 H, 2 HR, 4 RBI, 7 R, 2 SB, 5 BB, .526 OBP, 1.312 OPS; Ella Dalton, Creighton - .600, 6 H, 2B, 3 B, 5 RBI, 7 R, 1.00 SLG; Kylie Doherty, Boston University - .625, 2 HR, 4 RBI, 3 R, 5 BB, .769 OBP, 1.375 SLG; Ava Franz, Villanova - .769, 2 HR, 9 RBI, 7 R, 1.308 SLG, 4 multi-hit games; Robyn Herron, Arkansas – 2-0, 2.86 ERA, 18 K, 14.2 IP vs. South Carolina; Jade Hylton, Virginia - .600, 2B, 3 HR, 7 R, 5 RBI, 1.600 SLG, set UVA career home run record; Grace Jenkins, Connecticut - .529, 8 H, 3 2B, 4 HR, 10 RBI, 8 R, 1.412 SLG, broke single-season RBI record; Reagan Johnson, Arkansas - .600, 6 H, 4 R, 2 BB, 10-game hitting streak; Izzy Kemp, Dayton – 2-0, SV, 1.87 ERA, 22 K, 5 BB, 15 IP; Sam Landry, Oklahoma - 2-0, 1.17 ERA, 10 K, 3 BB, .182 opp. BA; Diamond Leslie, Marshall - .533, 2B, 3 HR, 9 RBI, 1.200 SLG; Sydney Malott, Iowa State - .385, 2B, 4 HR, 6 RBI, 1.385 SLG, 2 BB; Peyton Plotts, Kentucky - .417, 5 H, 4 HR, 6 RBI, 4 R; Sydney Potter, Creighton - .400 3B, 2 HR (Grand Slam), 13 RBI, .933 SLG; Anna Reed, George Washington – 4-1, 0.67 ERA, 2 SHO, 19 K; Belle Sandja, USF - 1-0, 2 SV, 0.64 ERA, 9 K, BB, 11 IP; Jenna Turner, Northern Illinois - .667, 8 H, 2B, 3B, 6 RBI, 6 R, .912 SLG, .692 OBP, 1 SB, set single-game program record with five runs scored vs. Buffalo.
The NFCA (National Fastpitch Coaches Association) is the professional organization for fastpitch softball coaches. Known for its highly-regarded Louisville Slugger/Player & Wilson/Pitcher of the Week awards, the NFCA also educates and supports softball coaches on a variety of different levels: from webinars to legal counsel, to in-person events and the National Convention.
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