INDIANAPOLIS -- UIC junior Natalie Hernandez (Glendora, Calif.) and Loyola junior Brittany Gardner (Orland Park, Ill.) have been named the Horizon League softball Hitter of the Week and Pitcher of the Week, respectively.
It is the second honor of the season for both players.
Hernandez batted .609 (14-for-23) on the week with 12 runs scored in six games as the Flames went 5-1. The shortstop hit her first two home runs of the season to go along with a pair of doubles, slugging .957 while collecting eight RBI. Hernandez also stole three bases.
UIC is scheduled to face in-city, non-conference foe DePaul on Wednesday before a weekend series with defending Horizon League champion Valparaiso.
Gardner won all three of her starts last week, including a pair against the defending-champion Crusaders and a non-conference victory against in-city foe Northwestern. The win against the Wildcats was her fourth-career victory against a Big Ten opponent.
In 21.0 innings pitched, the southpaw allowed just seven hits (.106 BAA) and two earned runs (0.67 ERA). She also racked up 25 strikeouts.
Loyola is scheduled to host Purdue on Tuesday before traveling to Northern Illinois for a doubleheader on Wednesday. The Ramblers return to Horizon League action this weekend at Detroit.
Softball Player of the Week:
Feb. 12: Joylyn Ichiyama, Valparaiso
Feb. 19: Dara Toman, Cleveland State
Feb. 26: Lauren Moore, Loyola
March 5: Brittany Duncan, Valparaiso
March 11: Lindsey Norway, Valparaiso
March 18: Courtney Heeley, UIC
March 25: Natalie Hernandez, UIC
April 1: Laura Swan, UIC
April 8: Natalie Hernandez, UIC
Softball Pitcher of the Week:
Feb. 12: Sierra Pico, Valparaiso
Feb. 19: Susan Knight, Cleveland State
Feb. 26: Brittany Gardner, Loyola
March 5: Taylor Weissenhofer, Valparaiso
March 11: Kristina Vizza, Loyola
March 18: Sierra Pico, Valparaiso
March 25: Devin Miller, UIC
Krystian DeWitt, Wright State
April 1: Devin Miller, UIC
April 8: Brittany Gardner, Loyola
