LOUISVILLE, Ky. – UT Arlington outfielder Mallory Foster and UCF right-hander Shelby Turnier garnered 2015 Louisville Slugger/NFCA Division I National Pitcher and Player of the Week honors, respectively, for games played over March 23-29. For Turnier, it was her second recognition this season, last being honored on Feb. 17.
Foster, a sophomore from Burleson, Texas, hit a blistering .875 at the dish with three home runs and 16 RBI in just eight bats over the course of four games last week. She was 7-for-8, added two doubles and slugged 2.250 to help the Mavericks to a 4-0 week. In addition, she recorded two six-RBI games and scored two runs three times on her way to Sun Belt Player of the Week honors.
“I am so honored and never in a million years have I thought I would win an award for that,” Foster said. “I can’t even begin to fathom what is going through my mind. I am so thankful to my coaches and parents. It’s not about my play but more about my mental state. You have to be prepared the entire game. I struggled with that a lot last year and my goal this year was to come in whenever the coaches needed me and I think I have done that so far.”
In a Sun Belt series against Appalachian State, Foster launched three, three-run home runs, two of which came in the same inning. She recorded the go-ahead pinch hit three-run double in the series finale and capped the week off with her third three-run long ball.
“This is a great honor for Mallory and as a coaching staff we are so proud to see her hard work pay off,” UT Arlington head coach Kristie Fox said. “She had amazing numbers this week and to accomplish all that while getting pinch hit opportunities really shows her mental strength and confidence in her abilities. She has set a great example for our young team and plays for the success of the program, not just for herself.”
Turnier picked up her second national honor after another strong week in the circle for the 16th-ranked Knights. A junior from Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., Turnier tossed her second no-hitter in as many weeks and finished the week 2-0 with a 0.00 ERA, two saves and 30 strikeouts in 19 innings of work. She only walked two batters and held her opposition to a miniscule .081 batting average.
“It’s such an honor to be named the NFCA Pitcher of the Week,” Turnier said. “I honestly wouldn’t be here without my team. To be recognized as a great pitcher, you have to play for a team that excels in all areas: pitching, defense and offense. I’m fortunate enough to play with a group of girls that does exactly that.”
Following a three-hit complete-game shutout (8K, 1BB) on the road at Florida Atlantic, Turnier twirled her second consecutive American Athletic Conference no-hitter. Against UConn in the series opener, she struck out 12, walked one and surrendered an unearned run in the 2-1 win. Turnier literally closed out the series with two saves against the Huskies. She did not allow a run and surrendered one hit in each appearance with three (2IP) and seven strikeouts (3IP), respectively.
“I’m very excited for Shelby,” UCF head coach Renee Luers-Gillispie said. “This is such an honor for her, and for our program. She has had some great outings this season and she’s becoming more confident in the circle. Whether she’s starting or coming in to close, she’s able to do whatever we need her to do to win ball games. It’s been huge for our team to have that 1-2 punch in our pitchers.”
Player of the Week
March 31 – Mallory Foster (UT Arlington)
March 24 – Sara Hingsberger (Weber State)
March 17 – Bianka Bell (LSU)
– Shelby Pendley (Oklahoma)
March 10 – Kacie Burnett (Idaho State)
March 3 – A.J. Andrews (LSU)
Feb. 24 – Jenna Lilley (Oregon)
Feb. 17 – Lauren Haeger (Florida)
Feb. 10 – Lindsey Stephens (Texas)
Pitcher of the Week
March 31 – Shelby Turnier (UCF)
March 24 – Haley Chambers (SIU Edwardsville)
March 17 – Ally Carda (UCLA)
March 10 – Ally Carda (UCLA)
March 3 – Delanie Gourley (Florida)
Feb. 24 – Cheridan Hawkins (Oregon)
Feb. 17 – Shelby Turnier (UCF)
Feb. 10 – Miranda Kramer (Western Kentucky)
Selected Top Performances
Oregon’s Geri Ann Glasco garnered Pac-12 Pitcher of the Week honors after batting .800 (8-10) with four home runs, six RBI and five runs scored; she matched the OU single-game long ball record with three in final game against Washington… SEC Co-Pitcher of the Week, Kelsey Nunley of Kentucky, was 1-1 with a save in the Wildcat’s three-game series against top-ranked LSU; Held Tigers to two earned runs, struck out 13 and walked two in 13.2 innings… Dayton’s Kayla English threw the program’s first perfect game and finished the week 3-0 with a 0.00 ERA and 22 strikeouts in 15 innings to earn Atlantic-10 Pitcher of the Week recognition… WAC Hitter of the Week, New Mexico State’s Fiana Finau, hit.429 (6-for-14) with four home runs, 11 RBI and a 1.357 slugging percentage… Illinois’ Carly Thomas batted .643, slugged 1.429, drove in 13 runs and hit three long balls on her way to Big Ten Freshman of the Week accolades… Tori Free of St. John’s was selected Big East Pitcher of the Week after compiling a 3-0 record with a 0.97 ERA, one save and 22 punchouts in 21.2 innings of work… American Athletic Conference Player of the Week, Karla Claudio of USF, hit a game-tying grand slam in seventh-inning comeback against Tulsa and finished the weekend with nine RBI and 1.333 slugging percentage… Western Kentucky’s Miranda Kramer was 3-0 with 47 strikeouts and held opponents to a 0.75 batting average in 21 innings on her way to her fourth Conference USA Player of the Week honor… Big East Player of the Week, Dylan Christensen of DePaul, batted .611 (11-18) with three doubles, three home runs, seven RBI and six runs scored… Mississippi State’s Alexis Silkwood earned SEC Co-Pitcher of the Week after posting a 2-1 record with a 1.05 ERA and 19 strikeouts; She tossed a no-hitter against Southern Miss and earned the complete-game win over No. 3 Florida in the series finale… Longwood’s Megan Baltzell was 4-for-5 with four home runs, seven RBI, seven runs scored and a 1.778 slugging percentage to garner Big South Player of the Week honors… Oregon’s Cheridan Hawkins was selected Pac-12 Pitcher of the Week after a 2-0 showing against Washington with a five-inning perfect game in the opener and finishing the week with a 1.45 ERA nine strikeouts and one walk in 9.2 innings… MEAC Player of the Week, Margaret Wilkins of Hampton, batted .591 (13-for-22) with a double, 10 runs scored and four RBI… Northern Iowa’s Chelsea Ross picked up MVC Pitcher of the Week accolades after going 2-0 with a no-hitter and a complete-game one-hitter against Southern Illinois… Allie Bauch of Illinois batted .714 (.10-for-14) with three doubles, a home run, eight runs scored and a .765 OBP to grab Big 10 Player of the Week recognition… MVC Player of the Week, Julia Hunter of North Iowa, homered twice, including a grand slam, and knocked in nine in a series sweep of Southern Illinois… Big 10 Pitcher of the Week, Rutgers’ Alyssa Landrith, did not allow an earned run in 17 innings pitched in a pair of complete-game wins at Purdue; She scattered eight hits and held opponents to a .136 average… San Diego State’s Lorena Bauer batted .778 (7-for-9) with four home runs, nine RBI 2.222 slugging percentage and .818 OBP to grab Mountain West Player of the Week honors… Saint Mary’s College’s Kate Moss took home West Coast Conference Pitcher of the Week accolades after going 3-1 with 17 strikeouts and a 0.46 ERA, while allowing just four hits and one run in 15.1 innings… Notre Dame’s Rachel Nasland earned her fourth ACC Pitcher of the Week honor after a 2-0 weekend against Virginia Tech with a 0.50 ERA, 14 strikeouts and two complete-game efforts… Hayley McCleney of Alabama batted .556 (5-for-9) seven RBI, six runs and a .778 OBP (nine walks)… Charleston Southern’s Cheyenne Gandara launched three long balls in her first three at-bats in game two versus Radford with nine RBI and also finished game with five runs scored, all single-game program records.
