LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Trine’s Debbie Hill and Linfield’s Tayah Kelley claimed the latest 2023 Division III Louisville Slugger/NFCA Player and Wilson/NFCA Pitcher of the Week honors on Tuesday.
Hill, a freshman designated player from Whiteland, Ind., hit .667 in four Thunder victories with five runs, three doubles, two walks and four home runs in 12 at-bats. The lefty also logged two strikeouts during a two-inning stint in the circle for No. 3-ranked Trine, which has won six straight.
Kelley, a senior right-hander from Myrtle Creek, Ore., hit two milestones this past week — surpassing the 500-strikeout plateau and recording her 60th career victory — for the seventh-ranked Wildcats. She tossed a one-hitter (six strikeouts) in the first game of a Northwest Conference series with Pacific Lutheran and also had a save and then got the victory in the finale of the four-game sweep, pitching in all four games. Kelley fanned 15 in a win over George Fox and struck out nine in a triumph over Willamette.
Other Top Performances
Haley Bach, Central (Iowa) - .583 AVG, 2B, 3B, 4 BB, 3-4 SB; Claire Bakkestuen, Wisconsin-Platteville – 2-0, 0.22 ERA, 17 K, 2 BB, 17.1 IP; Rilee Baughan, Randolph-Macon - .454 AVG, 2 HR, 7 RBI, plus 2-0 with 2 CG in circle; Mackenzie Bivin, Massachusetts Institute of Technology - .333 AVG, 2 2B, 2 3B, 2 HR, 14 RBI; Molly Broccolo, Rochester – one-hitter on 49 pitches over seven innings versus Cortland; Emily Charlton, Lynchburg – 2-0, 0.39 ERA, 2 BB, 18 IP, took perfect game into seventh (first 18 retired) against Guilford; Ashley Croft, East Texas Baptist – 2-0, 0.58 ERA, 7 K; Dina DiBlasio, Western New England - .642 AVG, 2 2B, 2 HR, 6 RBI; Alex Dillner, Saint Vincent - .818 AVG (18-for-22), 6 R, 3 2B, 2 SB, 12 RBI; Mackenzie Duford, Emory – 1.17 ERA (five ER) over 30 IP and six appearances (four starts); Taylor Durak, Grinnell - .765 AVG, 7 R, 4 2B, 3 BB, 0 K; Gracie Ellis, Randolph-Macon – 0.73 ERA, 16 K, 6 H, 12.1 IP, 2 CG, fanned 10 in 1-0 extra-inning loss; Bella Gasbarro, Worcester State - .500 AVG, 4 2B, 3B, 9 RBI; Madison Henry, Piedmont - .545 AVG, 8 R, 4 2B, 2 HR (including grand slam), 11 RBI, 1.000 FLD (22 PO, 3 A, 0 E); Emilie Hoelscher, Texas-Dallas – 2-0, 2 SHO, 0.00 ERA, 16 K, 0 BB, 9 H; Ella Hoyle, Emory - .522 AVG, 12 H (including two three-hit games), 4 RBI; Destiny Lum, Worcester Polytechnic Institute - .600 AVG, 3 2B, walk-off HR, 6 RBI; Angelina Lynch, Framingham State - .833 AVG (10-for-12), 5 R, 2 2B, 2 3B, 2 HR, 8 RBI; Abby Mace, Salisbury - .538 AVG, 2 2B, 3B, 6 RBI, reached base in all four games; Emma McBrayer, Piedmont – 4-0, 4 CG, 2 SHO, 2.07 ERA, plus .500 AVG, 3 R, 4 2B, 2 RBI; Jordyn McCormack, Wisconsin-La Crosse - .765 AVG, 6 R, 4 2B, HR, 5 RBI, 1.176 SLG, .765 OBA, four three-hit games; Kira Monji, Carnegie Mellon - .450 AVG, 2B, 3B, HR, 5 RBI; Ally Moran, Framingham State – 3-0, 0.64 ERA, 4 H, 11 IP, 1 R, 12 K, two straight starts with one hit and five strikeouts over four innings; Kaci Neveling, The College of New Jersey - .733 AVG, 7 R, 5 2B, 3 RBI, 4 SB, 1.817 OPS, 1.067 SLG, two four-hit games; Moira O’Reilly, Babson – 2-0, 2.06 ERA, 32 K, 5 BB, 17 IP, fanned 15 in no-hitter against WPI and struck out 12 at UMass-Dartmouth; Katie Phillips, Linfield - .536 AVG, 11 R, 4 2B, 3 HR, 2 SB, 1.000 FLD in 20 chances; Charli Shinstine, Manhattanville – 2-0, 0.47 ERA, 29 K, 5 BB, 15 IP, tied own single-game school record with 18 strikeouts versus Western Connecticut State; Kaitlyn Shirshac, UMass-Dartmouth – 3-0, 0.00 ERA, CG, SHO, 15 K, 2 BB, 16 IP, .158 opponent AVG; Amanda Smith, Carnegie Mellon – 2-0, 0.72 ERA, 17 K, 19.1 IP; Skyler Stookey, Coe - .571 AVG, 1.429 SLG, 6 R, 2 BB, 4 HR, 8 RBI; Ellie Thurow, Coe – 2-0, 12 IP, 5H, 2 R, 17 K, no-hitter versus Cornell College; Lindsey Windsor, Salisbury – two-hit shutout (nine strikeouts) against Mary Washington, three hits allowed across two appearances, also .455 AVG, 2B, 4 R, 4 RBI.
Winners are selected by the NFCA Division III Top 25 Committee, which has a representative for each of the 10 NCAA regions.
2023 Wilson/NFCA Division III National Pitcher of the Week
April 4 — Tayah Kelley, Linfield, Sr., RHP, Myrtle Creek, Ore.
March 28 — Kennedy Carruth, Belhaven, Jr., RHP, St. Francisville, La.
March 21 — Angela Sperandeo, Lynchburg, Sr., RHP, Glen Allen, Va.
March 14 — Kendyll Cahill, Mount Union, Fr., RHP, Groveport, Ohio
2023 Louisville Slugger/NFCA Division III National Player of the Week
April 4 — Debbie Hill, Trine, Fr., DP, Whiteland, Ind.
March 28 — Allie Gordon, Belhaven, Jr., 3B, Macon, Ga.
March 21 — Sarah Watts, Lynchburg, Fr., 2B, South Boston, Va.
March 14 — Natalia Pilpil, WashU, So., UT, Santa Clarita, Calif.
2023 NFCA Division III Top 25 Committee
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