LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Colorado Mesa outfielder Brooke Hodgson and Concordia-Irvine rookie Callie Nunes were named the Louisville/Slugger NFCA Division II National Player and Pitcher, respectively. The duo earned the first honor of 2018 after outstanding play during the opening weekend of the season.
Returning to her hometown of Rio Rancho, N.M., Hodgson powered No. 8 Colorado Mesa to a 5-0 opening weekend at the CMU Invitational, which included victories over No. 2 Angelo State and No. 22 St. Mary’s. The senior and returning NFCA All-American, recorded 14 hits, batted .667 with four doubles, a triple, 10 RBI and 10 runs scored. She slugged .953 and registered a .696 on-base percentage.
In the season opener against Western New Mexico, she was a perfect 5-for-5 with two doubles, three RBI and four runs. Hodgson capped off her stellar weekend with the game-winning RBI single in a 4-3 eight-inning win over the Rattlers. For her efforts, she was selected Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) Player of the Week.
Nunes flourished in her first collegiate weekend, making a mark in all four of Concordia-Irvine’s victories at the Desert Stinger Classic. She twirled a no-hitter in her first career start against Western Oregon, fanning eight and walking two in the five-inning triumph. That performance was preceded by her collegiate debut in which she struck out the side to pick up a save against Cal State Dominguez Hills. Nunes went the distance with seven strikeouts in a 3-1 win over No. 15 Cal State Monterey Bay. She also earned a save striking out the final two batters to secure a 7-6 victory over Western Washington.
For the weekend, the right-handed hurler went 2-0 with a 0.51 ERA, two saves and 20 strikeouts in 13.2 innings of work. The PacWest Pitcher of the Week allowed just one run on five hits and held her opponents to a .106 batting average.
Selected Top Performances
Kinsie Hebler, Texas A&M University-Commerce (Lone Star POTW)- .563, 9 H, 2 2B, 3 HR, 10 RBI, 4 R, 1.250 SLG, 2 GW RBI; Ryann Ferguson, Concordia-Irvine (PacWest POTW) - .667, 12 H, 3 2B, 4 HR, 10 RBI, 5 R, 1.500 SLG; Morgan Dufour, Lubbock Christian (Heartland POTW)- .438, 7 H, 2 2B, 4 HR, 8 RBI, 6 R, 1.313 SLG; Monica Islava, Southern Arkansas (GAC POTW) - .545, 6 H, 2 HR, 5 RBI, 4 RBI, 1.091 SLGG, .615 OBP; Heather Tracy, Montana State-Billings - .550, 11 H, 3 HR (all in one game), 11 R, 7 RBI, 3 SB; Victoria Taylor, Southern Arkansas (GAC PiOTW) – 2-0, 0.00 ERA, 2 SHO, 14 IP, 19 K, 2 BB, 6 H, .128 opp BA; Maddy Lincoln, Montana State-Billings – 3-1, 1.29 ERA, 3 ER, 12 K, SHO, .183 opp. BA; McKenzie Surface, Colorado Mesa (RMAC PiOTW) – 3-0, 2.67 ERA, 21 IP, 14 K, one-hit 10 K performance vs. No. 2 Angelo State; Emily Otto, Texas A&M University-Commerce (Lone Star PiOTW)- 2-0, 1.65 ERA, 17 IP, 21 K, 3 BB, .180 opp. BA; Amber Johns, North Georgia (Peach Belt PiOTW) – 2-0, 0.00 ERA, 0 R, 16 K, 3 BB, 10.2 IP; Cailah Niles, Anderson (SAC POTW) - .625, (5-for-8), 2 2B, HR, 6 RBI; Lacie Rinus, Carson-Newman (SAC PiOTW)- 1-0, save, 0.00 ERA, 0 R, 11 K, 3 BB, 7 IP; Kacie Kelly, Saint Leo (SSC Player of the Week) – .521, 12 H, 5 2B, 8 RBI, 9 R, .577 OBP; Alison Mitts, Saint Leo (SSC PiOTW)- 2-0, 1.47 ERA, 3 R, 16 K, .204 opp. BA.
