Softball Weekly Release #10

April 17, 2006

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Player of the Week

Kristen McDonnell, Youngstown State - C
Freshman * Keizer, Ore.
McDonnell batted .368 with three home runs and five runs batted in. She also recorded a slugging percentage of .842 with five runs scored and three stolen bases. She went 2-for-2 with a homer and two RBI in the Penguins' 5-0 victory over League-leading UIC on Sunday. For the season, McDonnell leads the Penguins with a .370 batting average and six home runs.

Pitcher of the Week

Grace Luginbuhl, Cleveland State - RHP
Senior * Lima, Ohio
Luginbuhl went 2-1 on the week, posting a nearly spotless 0.97 ERA and 15 strikeouts in three complete game efforts (3 ER in 21.2 innings). On Wednesday, she limited Youngstown State to just a first-inning run while fanning six. Luginbuhl came three outs away from her first career no-hitter on Sunday. She allowed just a pinch-hit single in the bottom of the sixth and struck out four en route to tossing her fourth shutout of the season.

Horizon League News & Notes

Butler Bulldogs
- After being the fl ex player in 11 of her first 12 appearances, Jamie Wonderly has swung the bat in 13 of the last 15 contests. She has moved into the team lead with a .364 batting average and has a four-game hitting streak. That's the second-best current hitting streak on the team, trailing only sophomore first baseman Amy Hyerczyk, who has hit safely in nine straight contests.

- Sophomore outfielder Jenny Jacobs and Amy Hyerczyk are now tied for the team lead with 19 RBIs apiece.

Cleveland State
- At 21-9, the Vikings are in the midst of their best season since 1997. A big reason for Cleveland State's success has been the fact that they entered last week leading the nation in steals per game at 2.19.

- Sophomore designated player Whitney Willard is hitting .520 (13-for-25) during her current eight-game hitting streak. She has five multi-hit contests during the run. Junior center fielder Michele Penney saw her team-high 10-game hitting streak come to an end in Saturday's first game.

Detroit Titans
- Senior catcher Kat Klemp is now just three home runs away from tying the all-time career record of 18, set by Tricia Cohoon (1993-96). The Canadian backstop currently has 15 four-baggers and sits alone in second place. Klemp is also tied for fifth in the single season category with five round-trippers her freshman season.

- The smallest Titan had one of the biggest hits of the weekend as 5-foot-1 utility Jacqueline Nortman blasted a two run shot to center field against Loyola in game one on Saturday.

- Detroit's offense has been paced by sophomore catcher/infielder Kaleigh Rafter so far this season. Rafter is hitting a team-best .341 while also leading the team in slugging percentage (.682), home runs (7), doubles (8) and RBI (20).

UIC Flames
- UIC exploded on offense last week, batting .336 as a team while averaging over eight runs per game. The Flames scored six or more runs in all five of their games, going a perfect 5-0.

- Freshman Sarah Clynes has been impressive in her rookie season with the Flames. She tossed the first no-hitter by a UIC pitcher since Alison Aguilar blanked Fordham on March 16, 2002, when she tossed a no-no against Detroit on April 8. She is 9-5 on the campaign with team-best marks in ERA (2.87), strikeouts (93) and complete games (6).

Loyola Ramblers
- After posting only one shutout through the first 39 games, Loyola has held the opposition scoreless twice in the last four outings.

- The Ramblers have established a new single-season school record with 69 stolen bases, shattering the previous mark of 65 set in 1992. Junior center fi elder Tara Miller leads the team with 23 stolen bases, the third-highest single-season total in Loyola history and only eight shy of Ellen Antonacci's record of 31 thefts.

UW-Green Bay Phoenix
- Senior catcher/designated player Kate Sullivan is on pace to top the school's single-season batting average mark and become the first Phoenix player to hit over .400 in a season. Sullivan is batting .443 through the team's first 21 games. Beth Hanson set UW-Green Bay's record for highest batting average in a season with a .376 mark in 1986.

- Senior pitcher Lisa Meissner has already bested her previous school single-season record for strikeouts. Meissner enters this week's play with 157 strikeouts, topping her own record of 128 set a year ago. Her 381 career strikeouts are also a school record.

Wright State Raiders
- Wright State sees a rare mid-week League match-up this week when the Raiders travel to Detroit. WSU is 5-4 in the conference and has allowed the fewest earned runs in loop contests with 22.

- Freshman Jessie Granger pitched all 20 innings of the Raiders' series with Butler over the weekend. She picked up two wins and registered a 2.45 ERA.

Youngstown State
- Senior shortstop Tiffany Patteson needs eight more hits to tie and nine more to break the YSU all-time hit s record.

- Junior Karlie Burnell went 2-0 with 1.99 ERA last week, including a shutout against UIC in Saturday's series finale.