INDIANAPOLIS –UIC senior shortstop Natalie Hernandez (Glendora, Calif.) is the Horizon League softball Player of the Week, while Cleveland State junior Alex Radjen (Broadview Heights, Ohio) is the Horizon League softball Pitcher of the Week for the week of March 31-April 6. This is the first League honor for Hernandez this year while Radjen collects the accolade for the second-straight week.
The UIC softball team went 3-1 this past week with a series sweep against conference opponent Wright State and a loss to Big Ten-foe Northwestern. The series sweep over the Raiders gives the Flames a 4-1 record in Horizon League play while posting a 9-14 record overall.
Hernandez topped the League in batting this week going 9-for-13 at the plate to tally a .692 batting average. Over the four games, she continued her multi-hit game streak that currently stands at six-straight, she now has 11 total so far on the year. The senior recorded her third career multi-homerun game versus Wright State in the second contest with a grand slam and game-winning two-run shot over the fence. Also in the second game versus the Raiders, she recorded a single-game career high with eight RBI. In the four games, Hernandez hit a double, stole a base and had a slugging percentage of 1.231 while holding an on-base percentage of .750.
The Cleveland State softball team went 6-1 over the week with double-headers against Youngstown State, Niagara and St. Francis (Pa.). The Vikings split the series with the Penguins, losing 8-4 in the first game and winning 4-3 in the second. The team is currently 17-11 overall and 1-1 in Horizon League play.
Radjen was solid for the Vikings on the mound in her three appearances while starting two of the contests. She went 3-0 with an earned run average of .82 in 17 innings pitched. In the victory against Niagara, the junior allowed only five hits while fanning a career high 12 batters. In the circle, the junior held batters to a .224 batting against average and had 18 total strikeouts over the course of her innings pitched.
The Flames host North Dakota in a double-header on Tuesday, April 8 before traveling to Ohio to continue conference play in a three-game series against Youngstown State starting Saturday, April 12. Cleveland State also carries on Horizon League action on Saturday as the team travels to Valparaiso for a three-game series with the Crusaders.
Softball Player of the Week:
Feb. 3: Erika Polidori, Oakland
Feb. 10: Amanda Wisniewski, Valparaiso
Feb. 17: Miranda Castiglione, Youngstown State
Feb. 24: Marissa Michalkiewicz, Green Bay
March 3: Cynthia Woodard, Cleveland State
March 10: Laura Swan, UIC
March 17: Jess Gorman, Wright State
March 24: Erica McNew, Cleveland State
March 31: Natalie Hernandez, UIC
Softball Pitcher of the Week:
Feb. 3: Susan Knight, Cleveland State
Feb. 10: Bridget Boyle, UIC
Feb. 17: Casey Crozier, Youngstown State
Feb. 24: Kaley Waalkes, Oakland
March 3: Sara Shields, Cleveland State
March 10: Casey Crozier, Youngstown State
March 17: Montana Wear, Wright State
March 24: Alex Radjen, Cleveland State
March 31: Alex Radjen, Cleveland State
