Valpo's Rutkowski, Butler's Fisher Collect Softball Weekly Awards

INDIANAPOLIS -- Continuing her hot start to the season, Valparaiso senior catcher Jordan Rutkowski (Alden, N.Y.) has been named Horizon League Softball Player of the Week, while Butler senior Breanna Fisher (Englewood, Ohio) has earned Horizon League Softball Pitcher of the Week honors, for the week of Feb. 27-March 4. For Rutkowski, the accolade comes for the second straight week.

Rutkowski led Valparaiso (10-3) to a 3-1 week, setting the Crusaders’ career home run record while hitting .714 on the week with four doubles, three homers and nine runs batted in. The senior’s on-base plus slugging percentage (OPS) was 2.331.

The 2011 First Team All-League Catcher led Valpo to a 10-6 win over Iowa State by going 3-for-5 with a home run and three RBI, notching two doubles in going 3-for-5. The following day, Rutkowski opened the first game of a doubleheader with a 2-for-2 effort against Brown, adding three more RBI in a 10-2 victory.

In the nightcap, Rutkowski was 3-for-4 with three RBI and two home runs in a 10-6 win over UTSA. In a narrow 7-6 loss to UTEP, Rutkowski capped the week by going 2-for-3 with two runs scored.

In her seven-game hitting streak, Rutkowski has had at least two hits in six of those contests; the senior has crossed home plate in seven straight games and has three or more RBI in five of her last seven games. Her three homers on the week gave her 24 for her career, putting her atop the Valparaiso career list.

Fisher helped lead Butler (4-6) to the championship game of the Woo Pig Classic in Fayetteville, Ark., as the Bulldogs narrowly took second place behind Arkansas.

In Butler’s 3-0 win over Drake, Fisher tossed four shutout innings to collect the win, holding Drake to three hits. Starting the tournament championship, Fisher allowed three unearned runs in five innings of work in a game the Bulldogs ultimately dropped, 6-5, in 8 innings. In nine innings of work, Fisher struck out five.

Valparaiso will meet New Mexico State in a non-conference game on Tuesday, March 6, before taking part in the Diamond Devil Classic March 9-11. The Crusaders are scheduled to play five games in the three days, taking on New Mexico State, Arizona State, Creighton, Pacific and East Carolina.

Butler heads to the west coast for the Bayer CropScience Classic March 9-13. Over the three-day stretch, the Bulldogs will face San Diego State, Oregon, California, Fresno State and Connecticut.

Softball Player of the Week:
February 14: Brittany Duncan, Valparaiso
February 21: Vicky Rumph, Youngstown State
February 28: Jordan Rutkowski, Valparaiso
March 6: Jordan Rutkowski, Valparaiso