INDIANAPOLIS – Valparaiso’s Sam Stewart earned Player of the Week honors for the second time this season after reaching base in all 11 at-bats on the weekend. Cleveland State’s Mackenzie Joecken was tabbed Pitcher of the Week after throwing seven scoreless innings on the week.
Sam Stewart / Valparaiso / Senior / Catcher / Frankfort, Ill.
Stewart made the most of the limited opportunities she had to bat going 3-for-3 with two home runs and three runs batted in against Wright State. The senior was walked eight times over the three-game series and scored six runs to help the Crusaders sweep the Raiders and lock up the No. 3 seed in the Horizon League Championship. By reaching base in all 11 plate appearances, Stewart broke the program record for consecutive plate appearances reaching base which is also the seventh longest streak in NCAA history.
This is Stewart’s second Player of the Week honor on the season and the third time a Crusader has earned the award on the season.
Mackenzie Joecken / Cleveland State / Junior / Pitcher / Oceola, Ind.
Joecken threw a complete game shutout in her lone appearance on the week. The junior threw seven innings allowing seven hits while striking out seven batters in the Vikings 1-0 win over Green Bay. The one run that Cleveland State scored in the game was a solo shot by Joecken in the fourth inning to help her own effort.
This is the first Pitcher of the Week honor for Joecken on the year.
Previous Player of the Week recipients:
Feb. 13- Kayla Wedl, UIC
Feb. 20- Sam Stewart, Valparaiso
Feb. 27- Lexi Watts, UIC
March 6- Carly Trepanier, Valparaiso
March 13- Dani Devlin, Northern Kentucky
March 20- Lexi Watts, UIC
March 27- Libby Pfeffer, Wright State
April 3- Tatum Christy, Youngstown State
April 10- Lyndsay Hill, Oakland
April 17- Kelsie Swanson, Oakland
April 24- Brittney Moffatt, Youngstown State
May 1- Allie Taylor, Green Bay
Courtney Gilbert, Detroit Mercy
Previous Pitcher of the Week recipients:
Feb. 13- Elaine Heflin, UIC
Feb. 20- Erin Kownacki, Oakland
Feb. 27- Erin Kownacki, Oakland
March 6- No player selected
March 13- Ashlyn Montgomery, Valparaiso
March 20- Mackenzie Grossmann, Valparaiso
March 27- Maddi Lusk, Youngstown State
April 3- Karissa Frazier, UIC
April 10- Elaine Heflin, UIC
April 17- Elaine Heflin, UIC
April 24- Allie Trudeau, UIC
May 1- Allie Trudeau, UIC
