LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Mercy senior Jackie Couillard and Tampa senior Julia Morrow were selected Louisville/Slugger NFCA Division II National Player and Pitcher of the Week, respectively, for games played over March 30-April 5.
Couillard, a native of Wolcott, Conn., had a monster week at the plate for the Mavericks. She batted . 655 (19-for-29) with three home runs, 13 RBI and nine runs scored to help her squad pick up three East Coast Conference wins last week.
“Jackie Couillard is a skilled player who has a tremendous knowledge of the game and when on the field is like having another coach on the field,” Mercy head coach Mike Fazio. ““We have worked hard to move the program forward and having one of our players recognized by a prestigious national organization like the NFCA is special. We are very proud to have her be recognized.”
The senior catcher/first baseman recorded seven multiple-hit games and at least a hit in eight of nine contests played. Couillard finished the week with a dazzling .677 on base percentage and a 1.000 slugging percentage. The ECC Player of the Week homered and knocked in four runs in victories over Molloy and St. Thomas Aquinas. In addition, she put forth 4-for-4 (2 R) and 3-for-4 (HR, 3 RBI) outings against Dowling and St. Thomas Aquinas (game 1), respectively.
A native of Baiting Hollow, N.Y., Morrow earned three complete-game wins, including a four-hit shutout in a three-game Sunshine State series sweep at Eckerd last week. Tossing all 22 inning, the Spartans’ workhorse surrendered just one earned run (0.32 ERA) and seven hits, while striking out 41 batters, walking one and holding the Tritons to a .093 batting average.
“Julia carries a heavy load for us,” Tampa head coach Leslie Kanter said. “With her on the mound, we are in every game. Winning our first NFCA National Pitcher of the Week award is very special for our program.”
She struck out 12 and did not walk a batter in her game-two shutout. In game one, which was scoreless through six innings, Morrow surrendered a run on two hits, struck out 14 and did not allow a free pass. She capped off her dominant performance in the series finale (4-2 win) with a week-high 15 strikeouts (one walk) in an eight-inning one-hitter.
Player of the Week
April 8 – Jackie Couillard (Mercy)
April 1 – Colleen Aubrey (Hawai’i Hilo)
March 25 – Tiffany Gillaspy (Missouri Western)
March 18 – Tiffany Hollingsworth (Humboldt State)
March 11 – Stephanie Mark (Northwest Missouri State)
March 4 – Jayne MacDonald (Cal State East Bay)
Feb. 25 – Ashley Walker (Winona State)
Feb. 18 – Nicole Nobbe (Cal State San Bernardino)
Pitcher of the Week
April 8 – Julia Morrow (Tampa)
April 1 – Caitlyn Calhoun (Valdosta State)
March 25 – Vianna Gutierrez Touchtone (St. Mary’s)
March 18 – Hannah Perryman (Missouri-St. Louis)
March 11 – Caitlyn Calhoun (Valdosta State)
March 4 – Courtney Poole (North Georgia)
Feb. 25 – Shea Coats (Oklahoma Christian)
Feb. 18 – Caitlyn Calhoun (Valdosta State)
Selected Top Performances
University of Mary’s Taylor Mendez batted .667, collecting 12 hits with five doubles, two home runs, 13 RBI, six runs scored and a 1.278 slugging percentage to garner North Sun Player of the Week honors… GAC Player of the Week, Harding’s Courtney Derrick, batted .471 from the leadoff spot, recorded seven runs, seven RBI and eight stolen bases…California (Pa.) freshman Jacquelyn Fowler batted .750 with two home runs, eight runs scored, seven RBI, a 1.417 slugging percentage and .813 OBP to take home PSAC West Athlete of the Week honors… Pittsburg State’s Emmie Robertson was tabbed MIAA Pitcher of the Week with four wins, a shutout, three earned runs, no walks and 29 strikeouts in 25 innings of work… RMAC Player of the Week, Erica Haugum of Adams State, went 4-for-5 over the weekend with a double, two home runs, nine RBI and five runs scored… GLIAC Player of the Week, Jenna Leza of Grand Valley State hit .556 with two homers, nine RBI, seven runs, a .944 slugging percentage and .652 OBP… PSAC West Pitcher of the Week, Alex Sagl of California (Pa.) went 4-0 with a 0.76 ERA, 24 strikeouts and just one walk in 18.1 innings… Anderson’s Chelsea Jones tossed a perfect game and was 2-1 on the week with 26 strikeouts to garner SAC Pitcher of the Week recognition… Shippensburg’s Tyler Thompson batted .500 (7-for-14) with two triples, seven RBI and six runs to garner PSAC East Athlete of the Week… Tarleton State’s Erika Menchaca was selected Lone Star Player of the Week after batting .692 (9-for-13) with two doubles, two home runs, eight RBI and a 1.308 slugging percentage… Midwestern State’s Tayler Jerrick picked up a pair of complete-game victories over then-No. 12 Angelo State in which she allowed one earned run on nine hits with 12 strikeouts and two walks in 14 innings… Northern Sun Pitcher of the Week Jenelle Trautman of Augustana (S.D.) was 4-0 and did not allow a run in four appearances/three starts last week; She surrendered eight hits (.121 batting average) and struck out 37 batters without walking a single one… GAC Pitcher of the Week, Jacee Bennett of Southeastern Oklahoma State, twirled a pair of complete games against Arkansas-Monticello with a 1.00 ERA and just four hits, while hitting the game-winning three-run home run in series finale…Kutztown’s Savannah Nierintz was named PSAC East Pitcher of the Week after going 2-0 with two complete games, a shutout, 14 strikeouts and one walk… Charleston’s Courtney Fain was named Mountain East Pitcher of the Week after going 2-0 with a save, 0.82 ERA, a shutout and 25 strikeouts in 15.2 innings… Heartland Conference Player of the Week, Lubbock Christian’s Jessica Loiacano, batted .692 with nine hits, three home runs and nine RBI… RMAC Pitcher of the Week, Mikayla Austin of Western New Mexico, earned three wins with a 0.76 ERA, 20 strikeouts and just 11 hits allowed in 18.1 innings…Casi Rohr of Walsh went 4-0 with a 0.49 ERA and struck out 39 batters in 28.2 innings to take home GLIAC Pitcher of the Week plaudits… UC San Diego’s Bianca Devoto was 5-for-8 with two doubles, four RBI, two of which were extra-inning winners, and a.727 OBP to earn CCAA Player of the Week accolades… CCAA Pitcher of the Week, Humboldt State’s Katie Obbema went 3-0 with a 0.84 ERA, 15 strikeouts in 16.2 innings of work.