LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Florida's Skylar Wallace and Utah’s Mariah Lopez earned 2023 Division I Louisville Slugger/NFCA Player and Wilson/NFCA Pitcher of the Week honors. The duo is being recognized for their outstanding performances during the week of April 10-April 16.
Wallace was a tough out last week, batting .800 (8-for-10) and reaching base safely 15 times over 17 plate appearances. Highlighted by a 4-for-4, seven-RBI and three-home run outing in game one against Georgia, Wallace finished the week with a triple, four long balls, seven walks, eight RBI and eight runs scored. She also swiped three bases, slugged 2.200 and reached base at a .882 clip. Against the Bulldogs, the junior shortstop posted career bests with her previously-mentioned numbers, along with it being her first multi-homer game and becoming just the third Gator to launch three long balls in a game.
It marks the second honor this season for Lopez, who was recognized as the first pitcher honoree of the 2023 season on Feb. 14. The junior hurler posted a 3-0 mark with a 0.89 ERA and 39 strikeouts over 23.2 innings of work. She earned a complete-game win over then-No. 5 Stanford, allowing an unearned run with six punchouts and a walk. Lopez also picked up wins over BYU and Weber State, striking out eight and seven batters respectively. She did not allow an earned run against the Cougars.
The Division I Louisville Slugger/NFCA Player and Wilson/NFCA Pitcher of the Week are voted on by the NFCA Division I Top 25 Poll Committee.
Selected Top Performances
Jordy Bahl, Oklahoma – 2 SP, 1-0 0.00 ERA, 5 H, BB, 15 K, .167 opp. BA; Aniyah Black, South Carolina - .385, 2 HR, 2 2B, 9 RBI, 3 R, 1.000 SLG; Maya Brady, UCLA - .500, 3 HR, 7 RBI, 1.400 SLG; Valerie Cagle, Clemson - .545, 6 H, 6 R, 10 RBI, 2B, 4 HR, 6 BB, 1.727 SLG, .706 OBP, 2-0, 1.31 ERA, 9 K, BB, 10.2 IP; Cassidy Curd, Duke – 2-0, 0.60 ERA, 9 K, 2 R, ER, 5 H, 11.2 IP, .128 opp. BA; Chenise Delce, Arkansas – 1-0, 0.00 ERA, 12 K, 2 H, 2 BB, 7 IP; Lauren Derkowski, Michigan – 3-0, 0.32 ERA, 25 K, 6 BB, 21.2 IP, back-to-back no-hitters vs Purdue; Shannon Doherty, UCF - .500, 6 H, 3 HR, 9 RBI, 1.250 SLG, 6 R, .625 OBP; Megan Faraimo, UCLA – 3-0, 1.08 ERA, 11 K, 2 BB, 13 IP; Hannah File, Louisville - .467, 2B, 4 HR, 5 R, 6 RBI, 1.333 SLG; McKenna Gibson, Tennessee - .538, 2B, 4 HR, 13 RBI, 1.538 SLG, 2.101 OPS; Donnie Gobourne, South Carolina – 1-1, 1.65 ERA, SV, 19 K, .155 opp. BA; Lauryn Hicks, Northern Kentucky – 3-0, SV, 0.38 ERA, 0.44 WHIP, 34 K, no-hitter vs. Detroit Mercy (16 K); Emma Hutchinson, Louisiana Tech – 1-0, 0.64 ERA, 7 K; Sophie Jacquez, Utah - .500, 2B, HR, 6 RBI; D’Auna Jennings, Duke - .706, 12 H, 2B, RBI, 11 R, .7843 OBP, 7-8 SB; Gabriella Jimenez, Utah State - .500, 2 2B, HR, 5 RBI, .533 OBP, 4 R; Olivia Lackie, South Alabama – 3-0, 0.00 ERA, 2 SHO, 18 K, 4 BB, 15 IP; Hailey McLean, Utah State – 2-0, 1.17 ERA, 21 K, .193 opp. BA, SHO; Mac Morgan, Texas – 3-0, 0.00 ERA, 11 K, .140 opp. BA, 2 SHO, 15 IP; Jessie Niegocki, Rider – 2-0, 0.54 ERA, 23 K, BB, 4 H, 13 IP; Aly Rayle, George Mason – 3-0, 0.00 ERA, 26 K, SV, 4 BB, 22 IP; Ashley Rogers, Tennessee – 2-0, 0.58 ERA, 17 K, 4 BB, 12 IP; Morgan Scott, Oregon – 1-0, 2 SV, 0.70 ERA, 11 K, 3 BB, 10 IP; Myka Sutherlin, Cal State Fullerton – 2-0, 2 SHO, 5 H, 2 BB, 15 K, 14 IP; Sara Willis, UCF – 2-0, 1.24 ERA, 11 K, 4 BB, 11.1 IP.
Celebrating 40 years in 2023, 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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