LOUISVILLE, Ky. – North Georgia’s Carleigh Knowles and East Stroudsburg’s Sarah Davenport earned the Division II Louisville Slugger/NFCA Player and Wilson/NFCA Pitcher of the Week honors for contests played April 1-8. It marks the second honor for Davenport this season.
Knowles keyed the eighth-ranked NightHawks to a 4-1 week, batting .660 (9-for-16) with a double, five home runs, 12 RBI and nine runs. She slugged 1.667 and posted a 2.334 OPS. All five of Knowles’ long balls, along with seven runs and 11 RBI came in a three-game sweep of Georgia College and State University. She left the yard twice in games one and three versus the Bobcats and generated four RBI in games two and three.
Davenport posted a 3-0 record with a 0.36 ERA and two shutouts for No. 9 East Stroudsburg. The sophomore hurler struck out 36 batters and posted a 1.10 WHIP over 19 innings of work. Davenport fanned 17 in a two-hit shutout of then-RV West Chester. She also registered 10 more punchouts in a four-hit complete game win at Bloomsburg and notched a five-inning shutout versus Mansfield with nine strikeouts. She has struck out 225 batters in 137 innings this season.
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
Myah Arieta, Colorado Mesa – 2 GS, .500, 3B, HR, 6 RBI, 2 BB, 2 R; Bella Barnes, Wilmington - .474, 9 H, 2B, 3 HR, 9 RBI, 6 R, 3 BB, .545 OBP, 1.545 SLG; Jayda Berg, Winona State – no-hitter vs. Minnesota Crookston (5 IP, 3 K, 0 BB, 16 BF); Emilee Boyer, West Texas A&M - .545, 6 H, 4 R, 2 HR, 8 RBI, 1.091 SLG, 4BB, .667 OBP, 2-0, 1.17 ER, CG, SV, 18 K, BB; Andrea Cain, Augustana - .632, 12 H, 2 2B, HR, 11 R, 4 BB, 3 RBI, .696 OBP, .895 SLG; Laci Peskey, Black Hills State – 1-0, 7 IP, 12 K, 3 H, RBI, R; Logan Forman, Wayne State University - .462, 3 HR, 3 RBI, 1.154 SLG; Gisselle Garcia, Pace – 2-0, 0.00 ERA, 2 SHO, 3 H, 25 K, 14 IP, .375, 3 2B, 2 RBI; Izzy Howe, Winona State – 0.81 ERA, 17 K, 11.1 IP, no-hitter vs. Bemidji State (5 IP, 5 K, 3 BB), .636, 3 2B, HR, 6 RBI, 4 BB, 6 R, .733 OBP, 1.182 SLG; Lexi Lander, Augustana – 2-0, 1.47 ERA, 21 K, .145 opp. BA, 14.1 IP; Claire Maulding, Valdosta State – 2-1, 0.65 ERA, 3 CG, 2 SHO, SV, 21.2 IP, 13 K, 2 BB; Erin Moon, West Florida - .545, 6 H, 3 R, 4 RBI, 2B, grand slam, BB, 1.492 OPS; Jayline Sloss, Cal State San Marcos – 2-0, 2 HO, 5 H, 0 XBH, 8 K, 2 BB, 12 IP, .125 opp. BA; Gracelynn Wallace, Nova Southeastern – 2-0 vs. No. 1 Tampa, 18 K, 6 BB, 14 IP, SHO; Abigail Weirich, East Stroudsburg - .429, 9 H, 2 HR, 8 R, 8 RBI, 7-7 SB.
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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