LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Behind perfect games, Missouri-St. Louis’ Hannah Perryman and Tiffin’s Kimmy Reynolds shared Louisville/Slugger NFCA Division II National Pitcher of the Week recognition, while Augustana’s Jenelle Trautmann was named National Player of the Week.
Earning her second national accolade of the season, Perryman was dynamite in the circle for the third-ranked Tritons, and for the third time this season, she was perfect. The junior lefty stymied Great Lakes Valley opponents Missouri S&T and Drury, holding them to one hit in 13 innings of work with 27 strikeouts and limiting the squads to a paltry .029 batting average.
“I’m really excited to be named pitcher of the week because everyone on my team helped contribute to it,” Perryman said. “We worked really hard to prepare for the weekend and it really showed. I’ve been throwing to our hitters a lot, which is incredibly helpful because they are so good. They help me feel prepared and confident in the circle. Our defense was a huge contributor on Sunday. We made all the plays that came our way and I couldn’t be prouder because we have worked really hard to make it that way.”
She opened the weekend with a complete-game one-hit shutout of Missouri S&T in which she struck out 15 and walked one in a 3-0 victory for UMSL. A day later, Perryman twirled her perfect game against Drury striking out 12 in a six-inning triumph. The performance marked the fourth of her career, tying the Division II record. The Streamwood, Ill. native also recorded her 1,000th career strikeout in the win and finished the day with 1,008 punchouts.
“When you have a pitcher who has led the country for three years in strikeouts per game you start to take things for granted,” said head coach Brian Levin. “However, when you consider how difficult it is to throw a perfect game, for her to throw her third in a season is really astonishing. The National Pitcher of the Week award could not have been given to a more humble person. Hannah is one of those rare players that truly gets more joy from winning, and watching her teammates success than from any accolade she has received.”
Reynolds, a freshman from Lima, Ohio, was equally as impressive toing the rubber in three complete-game shutouts, including her first collegiate perfect game. Posting a 3-0 record, she fanned 24 batters, surrendered just four hits and held her opposition to a miniscule .059 batting average in 21 innings. In her perfect game, Reynolds mesmerized the Malone hitters by fanning 11 in her first outing of the week. She struck out the side in the third and only three balls left the infield during her performance.
“It is an immense honor to be chosen,” said Reynolds. “This season has been great. The team has had my back from day one. I know a lot of credit goes to the pitcher, but it’s the entire team that pulls it all together. I can’t wait at a chance for a championship with my teammates.”
The rooky righty followed that with a one-hit, nine-strikeout outing versus Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference foe Ferris State. Reynolds capped off her stellar week with a three-hit shutout (4K) of Grand Valley State, which came into the weekend atop the league standings. Her efforts helped the Dragons go 3-1 in conference play and move within a half-game of both Grand Valley State and Wayne Sate (Mich.) for first place.
“Kimmy Reynolds is an extremely tough competitor,” said head coach Jeff Nickerson. “She always keeps her composure, never gets rattled. You always know what you are going to get from her when she pitches. She always finds a way to win.”
Trautmann had big week at the plate and in the circle helping the ninth-ranked Vikings extend their winning streak to 20 games and propelling them into the top-10 for the first time this season. The senior from Hastings, Minn. batted .737 (14-for-19) with three doubles, four home runs, 14 RBI, a 1.526 slugging percentage and .783 on base percentage. In addition, she was 3-0 with a save and allowed two run in four appearances (three starts). She struck out 25, walked one and allowed nine hits in 15 innings.
“Jenelle had an absolutely phenomenal week,” head coach Gretta Melstead. “She is one of the most powerful hitters I’ve ever seen. She has played a large part in our success this season and is truly a player who is committed to working hard and getting better everyday. What a huge honor for her and her teammates.”
Trautmann, who recorded at least two hits in each game, opened the week by going 4-for-5 with two doubles, two RBI and two runs scored in a non-conference sweep of Sioux Falls. With the Vikings on the road for Northern Sun matchups, she recorded five hits in each series, including two three-hit efforts. Trautmann closed out her weekend by going 5-for-6 with three long balls, nine RBI and four runs scored at Bemidji State. She homered twice and knocked in four in the opener and drove in five and left the yard once in the finale.
In the circle, she pitched a total of seven innings against Sioux Falls picking up a win with a one-hit (9K) five-inning shutout in the opener and closing out the final three innings of the nightcap with a hitless, six-strikeout effort to earn the save. Trautmann also tallied league wins over league foes Minnesota-Crookston and Bemidji State over the weekend.
Player of the Week
April 15 – Jenelle Trautmann (Augustana)
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 15 – Hannah Perryman (Missouri-St. Louis)
– Kimmy Reynolds (Tiffin)
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
West Texas A&M’s Renee Erwin collected Lone Star Player of the Week accolades after batting .714 (10-for-14) with two doubles, a triple, three home runs, 12 RBI, 12 runs scored, a 1.643 slugging percentage and .737 OBP in four games… PacWest Player of the Week, Dixie State’s Nicole Chavez, batted .714 (10-for-14) with three home runs, 11 RBI, nine runs scored and slugged 1.643… North Georgia’s Courtney Poole was selected Peach Belt Pitcher of the Week for the fourth time this season after the junior went 5-0 with 46 strikeouts and a 0.64 ERA in 33 innings… Academy of Art’s Brenna Mitchell tossed 18.2 scoreless innings in four games, allowed eight hits, walked one and struck out 19 to pick up three wins and earn PacWest Pitcher of the Week honors… Barry’s Dee Espinosa went 9-for-17 three home runs, 11 RBI, nine runs scored and six walks and was named Sunshine State Conference Player of the Week… Kendale Schieber of Northwest Missouri was named MIAA Pitcher of the Week after going 2-0 with 14 strikeouts and one walk in 13 innings; She surrendered four hits and allowed just one unearned run in two starts… GLIAC Player of the Week, Jade McGarr of Wayne State (Mich.) batted .688 (11-for-16) with four doubles, a home runs, 10 RBI, seven runs scored and five multiple-hit contests… Northern State’s Kami Smesmo was named Northern Sun Pitcher of the Week; she went 3-0 with a save and did not allow an earned run in 21.2 innings, twirled two shutouts… MIAA Hitter of the Week, Central Oklahoma’s Shelby Carel hit .750 (9-for-12) with two doubles, an inside-the-park home run, nine RBI, seven runs scored, 1.167 slugging percentage and .765 OBP… Southern Indiana’s Brooke Harmening hit .500 (7-for-14) with a double, three long balls, 11 RBI and five runs scored to garner GLVC Player of the Week recognition… RMAC Player of the Week, Colorado Mesa’s Mikayla Kovac batted .583 with three home runs, seven RBI, seven runs scored and 18 total bases… Alabama-Huntsville’s Tyler Harrison tossed a no-hitter and went 3-0 with 0.00 ERA and 14 strikeout to take home Gulf South Pitcher of the Week honors… NYIT’s Carly Wade was named ECC Pitcher of the week after posting a 5-0 record with a1.24 ERA, two shutouts and 16 strikeouts… Shea Coats of Oklahoma Christian went 3-0 with 1.00 ERA and 27 strikeouts last week; She dealt league-leading Lubbock Christian it first shutout loss with a four-hit complete-game effort to earn the Heartland Pitcher of the Week plaudit… Kutztown’s Danielle Amato recorded three game-winning hits, batted .429 and knocked in seven to garner PSAC East Player of the Week recognition… California’s (Pa.) Alex Sagle tossed her first career one-hitter and picked up two wins last week; She struck out 12, allowed just two base runners in 6.1 innings to garner PSAC West Pitcher of the Week honors… Nicole Nobbe of Cal State San Bernardino collected CCAA Player of the Week honors after batting .667 (12-for-18) with five home runs, four doubles, six walks, a.750 OBP and 1.722 slugging percentage… Armstrong State’s Autumn Parrish batted .500 with three home runs and 10 RBI to garner Peach Belt Player of the Week honors… Wayne State’s Lyndsay Butler was 3-0 with a 0.28 ERA, a save, two shutouts and 34 strikeouts in 24 innings… West Texas A&M’s Ashley Harden hit .692 with a double, triple, five long balls, 14 RBI, eight runs scored and a 2.077 slugging percentage in four games… LIU Post’s Samantha Esque was 3-0 with three shutouts, a 0.27 ERA and 28 strikeouts, while holding opponents to a .105 batting average.