LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Parkside’s Mia Johnson and Shepherd’s Madelayne Ruffner earned the Division II Louisville Slugger/NFCA Player and Wilson/NFCA Pitcher of the Week honors for contests played March 17-23.
Johnson batted .600 with five home runs, a total of nine extra base hits, 11 RBI and nine runs scored over the course of four games last week. Four of those long balls came in a doubleheader sweep of Grand Valley State, the first for the Rangers since joining the GLIAC. The junior catcher and third baseman was perfect defensively in 16 chances. Johnson, who was a single short of the cycle, homered and drove in five runs in a win over Purdue Northwest. She followed with consecutive two-homer outings against the Lakers, knocking in four runs in game two.
Ruffner posted a 3-0 mark with a 0.31 ERA and 45 strikeouts over 22 innings of work. The sophomore southpaw recorded a pair of shutouts, including a no-hitter against Bloomsburg, fanning 13 batters and walking two. Ruffner also tossed a complete-game one-hit shutout with a single-game program record 18 strikeouts and no walks on the road at then-No. 12 East Stroudsburg. She added a four-hit complete-game outing at Shippensburg with 11 punchouts and three free passes. For the week, Ruffner allowed just one run on five hits and held her opposition to a .071 batting average.
The awards are voted on by the NFCA Division II Top 25 Poll Committee, which features two member coaches from each of the NCAA’s eight regions.
Selected Top Performances
Cera Blanchard, UT Tyler - 2-0, 0.69 ERA, 5 K, 0 BB, SHO, 13 IP; Kaite Burawski, Bridgeport – 2-0, 0.58 ERA, 23 K, 2 BB, 5 H, 12 IP, .128 opp. BA; Desi Cuevas, Augustana - .550, 11 H, 4 2B, 2 HR, 3B, 3 RBI, SB; Sarah Davenport, East Stroudsburg – 4-0, 1.00 ERA, 40 K, 7 BB, 28 IP; Bailey Dillon, Missouri Southern - .700, 7 H, 5 R, RBI, 2B, 4 SB – Brynn Escobar, Colorado Mesa - .417, 5 H, 4 HR, 5 R, 9 RBI, 1.417 SLG, SB; Ella Esterby, Tiffin – 2-0, SV, 0.47 ERA, 2 CG, ER, 17 K, 4 BB, .140 opp. BA; Jessalyn Gallegos, Colorado Mesa – 2-0, 0.00 ERA, 11 K, BB, 12 IP, .196 opp. BA; Aniston Gano, Valdosta State - .667, 6 H, 2 HR, 7 RBI, 3 R, 1.333 SLG, .727 OBP, 2 BB, reached base safely last 22 games; Miranda Guillen, Eastern New Mexico – 2-0, 0.00 ERA, 2 R, 21 K, 2 BB, .176 opp. BA; Lina Gutierrez, Davis & Elkins - .632, 12 H, 4 2B, HR, 6 RBI, 9 R; Mya Jones, Bridgeport - .750, 8 H, 6 RBI, 3 R, 2 SB, 2 BB; Bailey Krolczyk, UT Tyler - .692, 9 H, 2B, 3B, HR, 6 RBI, 6 R, .733 OBP, 2 BB; Lexi Lander, Augustana – 3-0, 0.00 ERA, 18 K, 2 CG, 13 IP, .136 opp. BA; Terin Ritz, Central Oklahoma - .750, 9 H, HR, 2B, 5 RBI, 5 R, 0 K, 1.083 SLG, .769 OBP, 2-0, 10 K, 2BB, perfect game vs. Northeastern State; Abbey Rogers, Rogers State - .632, 3 2B, HR, 11 RBI, 7 R, recorded 200th career hit; Brinson Rogers, Southern Arkansas – 2-0, 0.00 ERA, 25 K, 2 SHO, 14 IP, .113 opp. BA; Paige Strickland, Francis Marion - .667, 12 H, 3 2B, 2 3B, HR, 14 RBI, 6 R, 1.222 SLG, .650 OBP, SB; Charley Swartzel, Converse - .476, 10 H, 2 2B, 2 HR, 10 RBI, BB, 2 SB; Sydney Watson, Converse - .429, 9 H, 4 HR, 14 RBI, 6 R, 1.000 SLG.
The NFCA (National Fastpitch Coaches Association) is the professional organization for fastpitch softball coaches. Known for its highly-regarded Louisville Slugger/Player & Wilson/Pitcher of the Week awards, the NFCA also educates and supports softball coaches on a variety of different levels: from webinars to legal counsel, to in-person events and the National Convention.
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