Valpo's Duncan, Lagesse Sweep Softball Weekly Awards

INDIANAPOLIS -- Valparaiso freshman infielder Brittany Duncan (Fairborn, Ohio) has been named Horizon League Softball Player of the Week, while Crusaders senior Alex Lagesse (Beecher, Ill.) has earned Horizon League Softball Pitcher of the Week honors, for the week of Feb. 6-12.

The duo helped Valparaiso turn in a 3-1 record in the first weekend of the softball season, as the Crusaders collected victories over Nebraska-Omaha, Iowa State and Drake. Duncan, in her first collegiate action, hit .429 while slugging .714, including her first career home run. Lagesse went 2-0 in four appearances, recording an ERA of 2.33.

Going 6-for-14 across the four games, Duncan recorded hits in all four games, going 2-for-4 against both Iowa State and Drake. In Valparaiso’s 11-5 win over host Iowa State, Duncan slammed a three-run homer to give the Crusaders much-needed insurance runs. The freshman had runs batted in against both Nebraska-Omaha and Drake, helping Valpo to 6-0 and 5-3 wins, respectively.

Lagesse, a Second Team All-Horizon League pitcher in 2011, hurled a complete game four-hitter against Nebraska-Omaha, notching her first shutout of the season and striking out nine. In beating Drake, Lagesse once again tossed a complete game, stirking out four and scattering five hits.

Valparaiso will take the week off before heading to Chattanooga, Tenn., for the Frost Classic Feb. 24-26. The Crusaders will play five games in three days, meeting East Tennessee State, UT-Chattanooga, UT-Martin, Niagara and Belmont in the tournament.

Softball Player of the Week:
February 14: Brittany Duncan, Valparaiso

Softball Pitcher of the Week:
February 14: Alex Lagesse, Valparaiso