LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Auburn Montgomery’s Chloe Derrick and Lenoir-Rhyne’s Lauren Rakes earned the NFCA’s Division II Louisville Slugger Player and Wilson Pitcher of the Week honors. They are being recognized for their outstanding performances during contests played Feb. 21-27.
Derrick slugged her way to weekly honors following her first weekend of Gulf South Conference action. The rookie slugged four home runs on the weekend and finished the week going 7-for-9 at the plate (.777) with six extra-base hits, eight RBI, and five runs scored. Derrick reached base safely in nine of 11 plate appearances, good for an .818 on-base percentage, and slugged 2.333. In game two against West George, she was 4-for-4 with three long balls, three RBI and three runs scored. The Oxford, Ala. native also doubled twice and drove in three runs in game one.
Rakes finished the week 3-0 with a 0.53 ERA and a save. The junior hurler struck out 44 batters and walked four in 26.1 innings of work. Rakes set a career high with 17 punchouts and surrendered just two hits in 10.2 innings of relief work in the Bears’ 13-inning win over Francis Marion. She opened the week with a three-hit shutout of Le Moyne in which she fanned 16 and did not issue a walk in a 3-0 victory. She also registered nine strikeouts in a complete-game win over Kutztown and earned a 1.2 inning save (1H, 2 K) against West Liberty University.
The Division II Player and Pitcher of the Week awards are voted on by the NFCA Division II Top 25 Poll Committee, which consists of two head coaches from each of the NCAA’s eight regions. To be eligible, student-athletes must be nominated by their member head coach.
Selected Top Performances
Morgan DeFeo, Shippensburg - .667 (10-for-15), 2 2B, 3 RBI, 8 R, .688 OBP; Danielle Dennis, Illinois Springfield - .556, 5 H, 4 2B, 9 RBI, 5 R, 1.000 SLG; Lydia Goble, Grand Valley State - .615 (8-for-13), 2 2B, 5 R, 8 RBI, 5 BB, 1.491 OPS; Macey Hughes, Carson-Newman - .385, 5 H, 2B, 4 HR, 13 RBI, 3 BB; Farley Park, Mars Hill - .818, 2 B, 3B, 0 K, 2 BB, 5 RBI, 1.091 SLG; Katie Proctor, Valdosta State - .700 (7-for-10), 2 2B, 2 HR, 4 R, 9 RBI, 1.500 SLG; Natalie Willoughby, Western Oregon - .364, 4 HR, 6 RBI, 1.455 SLG; Hannah Beatus, Grand Valley State – 2-0, 0.00 ERA, 2 SHO, 2 H, 3 BB, 13 K, 12 IP, no-hitter vs. McKendree (5 K, 5 IP); Katlin Entrup, Concordia Irvine – 2-0, 0.50 ERA, 20 K, 14 IP; Kasey Widmyer, Newberry – 2-0, 1.00 ERA, 4 H, 24 K, school-record 17 K versus Millersville; Montana Young, West Florida – perfect game versus Shorter (7 K, 5 IP); Katie Zaun, East Stroudsburg – 2-0, 0.00 ERA, 15 K, 0 BB, 15 IP, 0.33 WHIP, .103 opp. BA, tossed five innings of an eight-inning perfect game (9 K).
