LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Oklahoma’s Tiare Jennings and Alabama’s Montana Fouts 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 March 27-April 2. It marks the second honor this season for Fouts.
Jennings led OU’s offense in a Big 12 sweep of No. 9 Texas. She hit .727 with a double, two long balls and eight RBI over the three games. Jennings posted her first four-hit game of the season, going 4-for-4 with a homer and four RBI in the series finale. She also left the yard, doubled, and posted four RBI in the series opener. Jennings scored two runs in both those games and finished the weekend with a 1.364 slugging percentage.
Fouts recorded a pair of shutouts in consecutive starts at Missouri. The senior hurler recorded 26 strikeouts, 10-plus in each outing, and surrendered seven hits over 16 innings of work. In her nine-inning shutout on April 1, Fouts fanned 14, walked two and scattered five hits in a 4-0 win. A day earlier, she sat down 12 Tigers in a two-hit shutout.
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
Rissa Bajusz, Western Michigan – 3-1, 25 K, 3 BB, 22 IP; Sydney Berzon, LSU – 2-0, 1.31 ERA, 13 K, BB, 10.2 IP; Valerie Cagle, Clemson - .455, 2 HR, 6 RBI, 5 R, 1.000 SLG; 3-0, 0.00 ERA, 12 K, 2 BB, 4 H, 15 IP; Hannah Camenzind, Arkansas – 2-0, 0.00 ERA, 4 K, 2 BB, 5 H, 7.2 IP; Danieca Coffey, LSU - .583, 7 H, 2B, 6 R, 4 SB, .737 OBP; Mya Dodge, Northern Iowa - .636, 7 H, 6 R, 2B, 2 HR, 6 RBI, 1.273 SLG, 1.987 OPS; Shannon Doherty, UCF - .625, 3 R, 2 2B, 4 RBI, 4 BB, SB, .714 OBP, 1.589 OPS; Megan Faraimo, UCLA – 2-0, 0.00 ERA, 17 K, 4 BB, 10.2 IP, SHO; Ana Gold, Duke - .400, 2B, 3 HR, 9 RBI, 1.400 SLG; Samantha Heyer, Northern Iowa – 3-0, 0.00 ERA, 23 K, BB, 13 IP; Kacie Hoffman, Arkansas - .500, 5 H, 2 HR, 5 RBI, 4 R, 2B, 1.200 SLG, 1.745 OPS; Jaliyah Holmes, Jacksonville State – 3-0, SV, 1.05 ERA, 13 K, 20 IP; Melissa Holzopfel, Cleveland State – 2-0, 1.16 ERA, 12 K, 4 BB, no-hitter vs. Northern Kentucky (5 K, 5 IP); 3-6, HR, 3 RBI, 2R; Grace Jewell, UCF – 2-0, 0.39 ERA, SHO, 6 H, 12 K, .097 opp. BA, 18 IP; Leanna Johnson, Troy – 2-0, SV, 0.51 ERA, 6 H, 12 K, BB, .128 opp. BA, 13.2 IP; Maya Johnson, Belmont - 3 App/1 GS, 0-0, 0.54 ERA, 30 K, 3 BB, 13 IP; Aaliyah Jordan, UCLA - .571, 2 HR, 3 RBI, 1.429 SLG; Olivia Lackie, South Alabama – 2-0, SV, 0.00 ERA, 17 K, .137 opp. BA, 14.2 IP; Mack Leonard, Florida State - .750, 3 2B, 3 HR, 5 RBI, 1.875 SLG, .778 OBP; Rachel Marsden, Saint Francis – 1-0, 0.00 ERA, 6 K, BB, SHO; Sydney McKinney, Wichita State - .571, 2 2B, HR, 4 RBI, 9 R, 2-2 SB, .600 OBP, .929 SLG; Ally Miklesh, Clemson - .500, 2B, 2 SB, 2 R, 4 RBI, 4 BB, HBP, .692 OBP; Milaysia Ochoa, Iowa State - .636, 7 H, 3 2B, 3 HR, 3 RBI; Kasey Ricard, Boston University – 1-0, SV, 0.00 ERA, 21 K, 2 BB, 9.2 IP, .067 opp BA; Taylor Roby, Louisville - .500, 2 2B, 3 HR, 7 RBI, 2 BB, 1.500 SLG, 2.083 OPS; Jala Wright, Duke – 1-1, 1.56 ERA, 8 K, 4 H, 9 IP, .125 opp. BA at No. 12 Virginia Tech.
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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