CSU's Toman, Valpo's McGee Collect Horizon League Weekly Softball Honors

INDIANAPOLIS -- Cleveland State junior first baseman Dara Toman (Westerville, Ohio) has been named the Horizon League Softball Player of the Week, while Valparaiso senior Sam McGee (Bloomington, Minn.) has earned Horizon League Softball Pitcher of the Week honors, for the week of April 9-15.

Toman helped Cleveland State (13-30, 5-7 Horizon) move into contention for a Horizon League Tournament spot after a series victory at Loyola. The Vikings also split a doubleheader against St. Francis (Pa.) earlier in the week. McGee tossed shutouts in two appearances last week as Valparaiso (28-10, 12-0 Horizon) remained unbeaten in Horizon League play.

Going 6-for-9 on the week, Toman posted a .842 on-base percentage, walking 10 times to give her 32 on the year. The junior clubbed three home runs, giving her a League-leading 18 and matching the Cleveland State single-season record. After homering in both game of the Vikings’ doubleheader split with St. Francis (Pa.), Toman’s third homer of the week helped CSU come back to post a 5-3 win at Loyola, giving the Vikings the sweep of the doubleheader and series win.

Toman reached base in all five games last week, extending her streak to 23 consecutive games. With three homers and a double on the week, Toman posted an OPS of 2.62.

McGee toed the rubber twice for Valparaiso last week, not allowing a run over 13.0 innings of work. In the second game of the Crusaders’ series at Wright State, McGee tossed six shutout innings, scattering five hits while striking out four Raiders. McGee closed Valparaiso’s series sweep of Youngstown State by hurling seven innings of shutout softball, again walking none and giving up six hits.

The victory on Sunday was the 51st of McGee’s career, setting a new Valparaiso career record. On the year, the senior is 11-2 with a 2.63 ERA in 17 appearances.

Cleveland State and Valparaiso will both meet Notre Dame in non-conference play this week, with the Crusaders taking on the Fighting Irish on Wednesday, April 18, before the Vikings head to South Bend, Ind., on Thursday, April 19.

In Horizon League play, Valpo will take on defending conference champion UIC for a three-game set, beginning with a doubleheader on Saturday, April 21 at 2 p.m. ET. The teams will wrap up their series at 2 p.m. ET on Sunday, April 22. Cleveland State will venture to Green Bay to battle the Phoenix, starting with a doubleheader on April 21 at 2 p.m. ET. The series will close with a single game on Sunday at 12 p.m. ET.

Softball Player of the Week:
February 14: Brittany Duncan, Valparaiso
February 21: Vicky Rumph, Youngstown State
February 28: Jordan Rutkowski, Valparaiso
March 6: Jordan Rutkowski, Valparaiso
March 13: Jesse Marinec, Valparaiso
March 20: Haley Thomas, Youngstown State
March 26: Haley Thomas, Youngstown State
April 2: Jordan Rutkowski, Valparaiso; Dara Toman, Cleveland State
April 9: Kristen Boros, Butler
April 16: Dara Toman, Cleveland State

Softball Pitcher of the Week:
February 14: Alex Lagesse, Valparaiso
February 21: Casey Crozier, Youngstown State
February 28: Krystian DeWitt, Wright State
March 6: Breanna Fisher, Butler
March 13: Keali Engelkens, Loyola
March 20: Casey Crozier, Youngstown State
March 26: Brittany Gardner, Loyola
April 2: Jenny Esparza, Butler
April 9: Brittany Gardner, Loyola
April 16: Sam McGee, Valparaiso