LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Luther College’s Samantha Bratland and Central (Iowa) College’s Tabitha Taylor scored the final Louisville Slugger/NFCA Division III National Pitcher and Player of the Week honors, respectively, for the 2017 season on Wednesday.
Sophomore right-hander Bratland picked up two wins as the third-ranked (39-3) Norse captured their second-straight Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (IIAC) Tournament title. She fanned 12 and allowed just an unearned run and three hits in a 5-1 victory over Wartburg in the semifinals, then pitched the final two innings of a 4-3 nine-inning win over No. 9-ranked Central in the championship. For the two games, the Spring Grove, Minn., product allowed six hits and one earned run while walking two and striking out 12 over nine innings.
Junior left fielder Taylor, meanwhile, hit .545 (6-for-11) for four games last week, with two runs, a double, three walks and two runs batted in. The Grimes, Iowa, native reached base seven times in Central’s two IIAC Tournament games and compiled a .636 slugging average and a .643 on-base percentage for the four contests. She also was perfect on defense, with three putouts.
Other Top Performance
Central senior pitcher Karly Olson had shutout victories in her two starts last week, beating Dubuque and Loras. She walked three, but two were intentional, and she allowed eight hits over 13 innings while fanning 15 opposing batters. On offense, the Winterset, Iowa, native had two hits in the IIAC Championship game, including a two-out double to put the Dutch up 3-2 in the ninth inning against eventual winner Luther, and reached base in three of Central’s four contests.
This is the final Louisville Slugger/NFCA Division III National Player and Pitcher of the Week for the 2017 season. Honorees are selected by the NFCA Division III Top 25 Committee, which has a representative for each of the eight NCAA regions.
2017 Louisville Slugger/NFCA Division III National Pitcher of the Week
May 10 — Samantha Bratland, Luther College, So., RHP, Spring Grove, Minn.
May 3 — Anna Gernant, Calvin College, So., RHP, West Des Moines, Iowa
April 26 — Lindsey Thayer, St. John Fisher College, Jr., RHP, Winthrop, N.Y.
April 19 — Lindsey Thayer, St. John Fisher College, Jr., RHP, Winthrop, N.Y.
April 12 — Hanna Hull, Virginia Wesleyan College, Fr., LHP, Chesterfield, Va.
April 5 — Maitlin Raycroft, Texas Lutheran University, Jr., RHP, Spring, Texas
March 29 — Maitlin Raycroft, Texas Lutheran University, Jr., RHP, Spring, Texas
March 22 — Danielle Ray, Trine University, Fr., RHP, Hamilton, Ohio
March 15 — Alyssa Olson, Coe College, Soph., RHP, Cedar Rapids, Iowa
March 8 — Hanna Hull, Virginia Wesleyan College, Fr., LHP, Chesterfield, Va.
March 1 — Hanna Hull, Virginia Wesleyan College, Fr., LHP, Chesterfield, Va.
Feb. 22 — Marie Collop, Berry College, Sr. RHP, Atlanta
2017 Louisville Slugger/NFCA Division III National Player of the Week
May 10 — Tabitha Taylor, Central (Iowa) College, Jr., LF, Grimes, Iowa
May 3 — Delaney Sylvester, Suffolk University, Jr., C, Worcester, Mass.
April 26 — Kylie Macziewski, St. Catherine University, Jr., SS, Bloomington, Minn.
April 19 — Jenny Galavotti, Keene State College, Sr., DP, Marion, Mass.
April 12 — Kaymee Gooden, Texas Lutheran University, Sr., CF, Mart, Texas
April 5 — Kaitlyn Aherron, Averett University, Fr., P/UTIL, Alton, Va.
March 29 — Mallory Klotz, University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, Jr., LF, New Berlin, Wis.
March 22 — Savannah Lee, Birmingham-Southern College, So., 1B, Lascassas, Tenn.
March 15 — LeAnne Collins, Salisbury University, Jr., RF, Sparks, Md.
March 8 — Karlie Jarrett, Berry College, Sr., UTIL, Summerville, Ga.
March 1 — Ashley Royer, Wesley College, So., 3B, Lititz, Pa.
Feb. 22 — Sarah Moore, Berry College, Sr., SS, Lookout Mountain, Ga.
