LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Ouachita Baptist’s Jordyn Merrett and Shepherd’s Madelayne Ruffner were named Division II Louisville Slugger/NFCA Player and Wilson/NFCA Pitcher of the Week for contests played April 20-26. It’s the second consecutive honor for Ruffner and third this season.
Merrett’s monstrous week keyed the Tigers to five wins, including a three-game sweep of conference rival Henderson State, propelling Ouachita into the Great American Conference Tournament for the first time since 2022. The junior batted .818 (9-for-11) with five home runs, 13 RBI and nine runs scored. She slugged 2.182 and finished the week with a 3.040 OPS. During the sweep, she homered for the cycle, highlighted by a game-tying grand slam in the series opener, followed by a two-homer outing in game two and one more in the finale.
Ruffner, who continues to strike out her opponents at a nation’s best clip, fanned 28 more batters over 17 innings and did not surrender a run in a 2-0 week for the junior. She matched a career-best with 19 punchouts in a 10-inning, three-hit shutout of Kutztown. Ruffner struck out nine more in a six-hit shutout of No. 25 Shippensburg. Leading Division II in strikeouts (243), strikeouts per seven innings (12.6) and WHIP (0.68), Ruffner surpassed the 800 career strikeout mark last weekend.
The awards are voted on by the NFCA Division II Top 25 Poll Committee, which features two member coaches from each of the NCAA’s eight regions.
Selected Nominated Performances
Andrea Cain, Augustana - .824, 5 2B, 2 2B, 9 RBI, 1.353 SLG, 6 BB, SB, 13 runs, 14 H, .870 OBP, 1.353 SLG; Macey Clark, St. Cloud State – 2-0, CG, SHO, 0.78 ERA, 0.56 WHIP, .129 opp. BA, 12 K, 4 H, BB, 9 IP; Harley Culie, Rogers State – 1-0, 0.00 ERA, 12 K, 5 BB, SHO, 7 IP; Sarah Davenport, East Stroudsburg – 3-1, 2.74 ERA, 34 K, .227 opp. BA; Jordyn De Los Santos, West Texas A&M - .529, 9 H, 7 R, 2B, 5 HR, 14 RBI, 1.471 SLG, BB, 0 K, .556 OBP, SB, single-game LSC record with 9 RBI; Bailey Dillon, Missouri Southern - .462, 3 R, 6 H, 3B, 3 RBI, .615, 3 SB; Elly Koopman, Wayne State Univ. - .381, 2B, HR, 6 RBI, 7 BB, .517 OBP, extended on-base streak to 21 games; Molli Magana, Colorado Mesa - .500, 6 H, 5 HR, 11 RBI, 11 R, 1.750 SLG, .667 OBP, 5 BB; Abbi Markus, Western New Mexico - .454, 4 HR (grand slam), 10 RBI, 2 BB, 5 R, 1.545 SLG; Kiki Pickens, Missouri Southern – 2-0, 1.50 ERA, 15 K, 2 CG, SHO, 14 IP, .089 opp. BA; Labraida Tenorio, Western New Mexico – 2-0, 2.00 ERA, 8 K, SHO, .181 opp. BA; Bethany Weiss, St. Cloud State - .533, 1.200 SLG, 8 H, 2B, 3 HR, 9 RBI, 5 R.
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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