LOUISVILLE, Ky. – St. Mary’s Hannah Michel and Missouri-St. Louis’ Hannah Perryman were named the Louisville/Slugger NFCA Division II National Player and Pitcher of the Week, respectively. The duo played key roles in a combined 10 wins over contests played February 8-14. It is Perryman’s third overall selection and the first in Michel’s young career.
Michel went on a tear for the 12th-ranked Rattlers, knocking in 15 runs, scoring 12 more and recording nine extra-base hits as St. Mary’s went 5-2 last week. The sophomore third baseman hit .625 (15-24) with five doubles, two triples, two home runs for a 1.250 slugging percentage.
“Definitely the hard work paid off,” Michel on the recognition. “January is time to go hard and prepare for the season. Going day by day, improving on the little things and coming up with hits that get me on base. It's rewarding.”
After launching a grand slam against Our Lady of the Lake, Michel did most of her damage at the West Texas Invitational in Canyon, Texas. She doubled twice and recorded four RBI vs. Midwestern State and followed that with three consecutive three-hit games against 2015 NCAA participants- Cameron, 22nd-ranked and host Lady Buffs and Metro State. Against the latter Roadrunners, the Giddings, Texas native was a single away from the cycle with three RBI and three runs scored. She also scored twice three times and swiped two bags versus Cameron.
"As a coach I always look at the total team performance and do not focus on the performance of the individual, but we took note of the level of play Hannah performed at this week,” said head coach Donna Fields. “To be recognized as the NFCA Player of the Week is an exceptional honor. Of the many great athletes that have come through this program, there are not too many that have had the privy of the award. We are proud of what she has accomplished. She is such a dedicated and well-disciplined individual; her work ethic has brought her to this level of play.”
Perryman was lights out keying the seventh-ranked Tritons (10-0) to five of their six wins. In five starts last week, the senior from Streamwood, Ill. did not allow a run, surrendered just seven hits and struck out 64 in 33 innings of work. Perryman registered her 12th career no-hitter with 10-strikeouts in a 4-0 win over Southeastern Oklahoma at the 8-State Classic hosted by Arkansas-Monticello. The no-no moved her into a tie for fourth on the NCAA Division II career charts.
“This honor means so much to me,” Perryman said. “My team and I have worked incredibly hard this off season, so being recognized is a true honor. I can’t wait to see what the rest of this season has in store for us.”
The lefty hurler twirled a pair of one-hitters, including a scintillating 18-strikeout performance against Northwestern Oklahoma. She also notched a two-hit blanking of Nebraska-Kearney, fanning 14 and bringing the NCAA’s, across all divisions, active strikeout leader’s total to 1,257, which is seventh all-time in Division II. For the week, she held opponents to a .069 batting average and struck out 10-plus in all five appearances.
"Hannah has had an amazing start to the season,” said head coach Brian Levin. “Going six straight starts without giving up a run is astonishing. She never ceases to amaze me, and I am really looking forward to what else she has in store for us."
-- Hannah Michel image courtesy of Antonio Morano / Hannah Perryman image courtesy of UMSL Media Relations
Player of the Week
Feb. 17 – Hannah Michel (St. Mary’s)
Feb. 10 – Darian Harris (Southern Arkansas)
Pitcher of the Week
Feb. 17 – Hannah Perryman (UMSL)
Feb. 10 – Kaylee Garner (Southern Arkansas)
Selected Top Performances
Alexis Kelsey of Northwest Missouri picked up MIAA/AstroTurf Hitter of the Week after clubbing four home runs, driving in 10, scoring eight runs, hitting .583 and slugging 1.667... GAC Pitcher of the Week, Southern Nazarene’s Katelyn Brown, tossed two complete-game shutouts, a no-hitter (5 IP, 6 K) vs. Southwest Baptist and a one-hitter (8 K), holding opponents to a .026 batting average.... West Texas A&M’s Brittany Cruz hit .643 (9-14), with three doubles, five extra base hits, 10 RBI and nine runs scored to garner Lone Star Conference Hitter of the Week... Florida Tech’s Rachel Pence was 5-0 with a 0.65 ERA and 27 strikeouts and named Sunshine State Conference Pitcher of the Week... Newberry’s Christina Linton was named South Atlantic Conference Player of the Week after hitting .615 with eight hits, seven RBI, two home runs, a 1.154 slugging percentage and .667 OBP... Tori Bice of East Central garnered Lone Star Conference Pitcher of the Week honors with a 3-0 record, 0.93 ERA with 13 strikeouts... Sunshine State Conference Player of the Week, Saint Leo’s Samantha Ohmie went 5-for-6 (.833) at the plate with four extra base hits, three RBI, three runs and a 2.000 slugging percentage... Harding’s Kimmy Hendricks launched two grand slams and recorded 10 RBI on her way to Great American Conference (GAC) Player of the Week honors... West Florida’s Rhiannon Sassman, the Gulf South Player of the Week, hit .529 with four doubles, two long ball, 11 RBI and six runs scored... Sarah Magill of Young Harris hit .583 and slugged 1.417 with a double and three home runs to take home Peach Belt Player of the Week accolades... Great Northwest Athletic Conference (GNAC) Co-Pitcher of the Week, Saint Martin’s Loryn Williams recorded a 2-0 record with a save, allowed just one earned run and struck out 18... Central Washington’s Kiana Wood earned GNAC Co-Pitcher of the Week honors after going 4-0 with a 0.66 ERA, two shutouts and 15 strikeouts... Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Player of the Week Hayley Fields of Metro State hit .455 with four doubles, two triples, one homer, eight RBI and seven runs scored... Carly Lewis of Georgia College earned the Peach Belt Pitcher of the Week plaudit going 3-0 with a 0.38 ERA and 15 strikeouts in 18.2 innings of work... SAC Pitcher of the Week, Augie Pena of Anderson struck out 31 in 20 innings of work to earn three wins and post a 0.70 ERA... Upper Iowa’s Brooke Redmond was selected Northern Sun Pitcher of the Week after going 2-0 with 1.40 ERA and 19 strikeouts in 15 innings... Central Washington’s Taylor Ferleman was named GNAC Player of the Week after batting .480 with 12 hits, two triples, a homer, seven RBI and six runs.