Valpo's Rutkowski, WSU's DeWitt Pick Up Softball Weekly Awards

INDIANAPOLIS -- Valparaiso senior catcher Jordan Rutkowski (Alden, N.Y.) has been named Horizon League Softball Player of the Week, while Wright State sophomore Krystian DeWitt (Pacifica, Calif.) has earned Horizon League Softball Pitcher of the Week honors, for the week of Feb. 20-26.

Rutkowski led Valparaiso (7-2) to a 4-1 week, hitting .533 while compiling a 1.800 OPS after slugging 1.267. The senior was 8-for-15 with three home runs and 11 runs batted in.

The catcher opened the Frost Classic by going 3-for-4 with a double and two RBI in a 4-2 victory over East Tenneesse State, but saved her best day for Saturday.

Rutkowski stated the day with a 2-for-3 effort, hitting her first home run and tallying three RBI as the Crusaders won, 8-4, over UT-Martin. In the afternoon game, Rutkowski lifted Valpo to a 9-1 win over Niagara, going 2-for-3 with two homers and six RBI.

DeWitt appeared in all three games of the Charleston Southern Tournament, compiling a 2-1 record for Wright State (6-6). The right-hander gave up just two runs across 12.0 innings pitched.

The sophomore opened the tournament with five innings of work in an 8-0 win over UMBC, striking out eight. DeWitt entered in the third inning of the Raiders’ game against Charleston Southern, retiring all 15 batters she faced and striking out five as Wright State rallied for a 6-4 victory.

Valparaiso will head to El Paso, Texas, this weekend, competing against Iowa State on Friday, March 2, before a doubleheader versus Brown and UTSA on March 3. The Crusaders will wrap up the tournament against UTEP on March 4. Wright State will travel to Carbondale, Ill., for a doubleheader against Northern Illinois and Southern Illinois on March 3. The Raiders will meet Western Illinois and SIU-Edwardsville on March 4.

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

Softball Pitcher of the Week:
February 14: Alex Lagesse, Valparaiso
February 21: Casey Crozier, Youngstown State
February 28: Krystian DeWitt, Wright State