LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Covenant’s Lauren Kay and Susquehanna’s Katie Murphy captured the latest Division III Louisville Slugger/NFCA Player and Wilson/NFCA Pitcher of the Week honors on Tuesday.
Kay, a freshman third baseman from Chattanooga, Tenn., had a hit in her first 11 at-bats of the week, and went 9-for-9 with seven runs, two doubles, four home runs and nine RBI in a doubleheader sweep of Berea. For the week, the Chattanooga Christian High product was 18-for-23 (.783) with 17 runs, five doubles, a triple, five homers, and 10 RBI. Kay slugged 1.739, and had an on-base percentage of .800 and an OPS of 2.539.
Murphy, a senior right-hander from Havre de Grace, Md., set a school record and tied a Landmark Conference mark with 15 strikeouts in a win over King’s, fanned 14 against Scranton, and struck out 13 versus York. The C. Milton Wright High graduate was 4-0 for the week, with a 0.63 ERA, eight hits, three walks, two earned runs allowed and 42 strikeouts over 22.1 innings.
Other Top Performances
Rochester junior pitcher Abbie Biggs won both ends of a doubleheader versus Rensselaer to break a tie for first place in the Liberty League, including 2.1 innings of no-hit relief. … Eastern Connecticut State senior pitcher Morgan Bolduk extended her innings streak without allowing an earned run to 33.1 with a complete-game four-hitter and three scoreless innings in her second start of the week. … Belhaven sophomore pitcher Kennedy Carruth was 2-0 with 18 strikeouts, seven hits and one earned run. … Mount St. Joseph freshman shortstop Macy Cornelius hit .758 with seven runs, two doubles, a triple and nine RBI. … George Fox senior pitcher Ashley Davis had three wins and a save to wrap up her regular season, and has a Division III-leading 22 victories. … Benedictine (Ill.) senior utility player Megan Fast was 14-for-29 (.483) with seven runs, four doubles, two homers and 10 RBI, while also going 3-1 in the circle. … George Fox senior utility player Claire Fountain was perfect in the field at three different positions (11 putouts, two assists) and hit .417 with a double, three homers and seven RBI. … Randolph sophomore center fielder Dominique Irving batted .455 with five doubles, three triples, three homers and 20 RBI. … Central junior center fielder Emma Johnson saved two runs with a stellar catch and hit .692 with three runs and four RBI. … Rochester junior first baseman Hannah Keiper helped the Yellowjackets to their 10th straight win after a 2-12 start by batting .429 with four runs, two doubles and two homers (including a grand slam). … East Texas Baptist sophomore pitcher Hannah Kelley walked none and fanned seven for another shutout win. … Redlands junior pitcher Kalyn Kershner went 3-0 with 15 strikeouts and one earned run over 18 innings. … East Texas Baptist sophomore shortstop Tristen Maddox hit .571 with a double, homer and two stolen bases. … Westminster (Pa.) sophomore pitcher Elizabeth Malczak posted two complete-game triumphs while allowing just two runs. … Christopher Newport freshman pitcher Jamie Martin tossed a no-hitter against Mary Washington (10 strikeouts) and was one hit batter from perfection in a 3-0 week overall. … Pacific Lutheran senior outfielder Erin McGrath tied a school record with her 14th homer of the season, and hit three homers for the week, while batting .429 with two doubles and six RBI. … Bethany Lutheran freshman second baseman Kaija Mork went 8-for-11 (.727) with nine runs, one double, one triple, two homers and nine RBI. … Emmanuel (Mass.) senior first baseman Grace Orcutt hit .588 with 12 total bases, three walks and three RBI. … SUNY Oneonta senior right fielder Megan Palmatier was 15-for-20 (.750) with eight runs, two doubles, two triples, two homers (including a grand slam) and 11 RBI. … Concordia Chicago junior catcher Becky Pieroni drove in six of her team’s seven runs and homered in all three games, while playing flawless defense and throwing out two runners. … Gordon graduate shortstop Ari Ramsaran hit two homers for the week and set the school home run record, while batting .428. … Gordon graduate third baseman Lily Rivera hit a grand slam and batted .428 with three runs scored. … Moravian sophomore designated player Emily Silberman hit .833 with a double, homer and three RBI. … Alma senior pitcher Haley Ullrich went 3-1 with 32 strikeouts and two earned runs over 23.2 innings, while also batting .611 (11-for-18) with 12 runs, three doubles, four homers, 12 RBI, nine walks and just one strikeout. … Eastern Connecticut State graduate center fielder Cassie Woods hit .800 and reached safely 11 times in 14 plate appearances to extend her on-base streak to nine contests.
Winners are selected by the NFCA Division III Top 25 Committee, which has a representative for each of the 10 NCAA regions.
2022 Wilson/NFCA Division III National Pitcher of the Week
April 19 — Katie Murphy, Susquehanna, Sr., RHP, Havre de Grace, Md.
April 12 — Gracie Ellis, Randolph-Macon, Fr., RHP, New Kent, Va.
April 5 — Moira O’Reilly, Babson, So., RHP, Columbus, Ohio
March 29 — Caitlyn Burch, Mary Washington, So., RHP, Mechanicsville, Md.
March 22 — Ashlyn Hemm, Loras, Fr., RHP, Port Byron, Ill.
March 15 — Ashlyn Strother, Texas Lutheran, So., RHP, Seabrook, Texas
March 8 — Kate Alger, Christopher Newport, Fr., RHP, Staunton, Va.
2022 Louisville Slugger/NFCA Division III National Player of the Week
April 19 — Lauren Kay, Covenant, Fr., 3B, Chattanooga, Tenn.
April 12 — Hannah Ritter, Wisconsin-Oshkosh, Jr., 1B, Marengo, Ill.
April 5 — Anna Jackson, Berry, So., C, Suwanee, Ga.
March 29 — Hannah Davis, Skidmore, Sr., P/1B, Stafford, Conn.
March 22 — Franie Burnett, Central, So., RF, Ankeny, Iowa
March 15 — Kaitlyn Hasty, Christopher Newport, Sr., 1B, Chesapeake, Va.
March 8 — Sarah Proctor, Christopher Newport, Sr., OF, Mineral, Va.
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