LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Virginia Wesleyan’s Hanna Hull and Wesley’s Ashley Royer captured this week’s Louisville Slugger/NFCA Division III National Pitcher and Player of the Week honors, respectively.
Hull, a freshman left-hander for the (8-0) Marlins, went 2-0 last week with no earned runs over 13 innings of work. The Chesterfield, Va., native fanned a school-record 18 batters in a 5-0 win at N.C. Wesleyan, then struck out 12 Meredith batters in six innings in a 9-1 triumph.
Before picking up two more wins on Tuesday in Virginia Wesleyan’s first-ever sweep of regional rival and perennial national power Salisbury, the Clover Hill High graduate had started her collegiate career 3-0 with 39 strikeouts and only two walks over her first 18 innings.
Sophomore third baseman Royer, meanwhile, batted .769 (10-for-13) for the week, with three doubles, two triples, a homer and 13 runs batted in. The Lititz, Pa., native also walked once, didn’t strike out and posted a 1.538 slugging percentage.
Other Selected Top Performances
Gallaudet junior pitcher Alyssa Barlow struck out 11, walked two and helped herself at the plate with a .571 average. … Washington (Md.) College sophomore pitcher Maddie Bennett helped herself at the plate with a .429 average, four doubles, a homer and seven RBI, while fanning 14 over 11.2 innings in the circle. … Brandeis sophomore left fielder Marissa DeLaurentis was 9-for-20 (.450) with four doubles and five RBI while hitting safely in all six of the Judges’ games last week. … Berry senior outfielder Brittany Ferrell hit .467 (7-for-15) with two doubles, a triple and four walks. … Belhaven junior second baseman Meg Garton batted .429 (3-for-7) with two homers, four walks and six RBI. … Calvin sophomore pitcher Anna Gernant tossed her first career no-hitter against Edgewood, collecting a school-record 18 strikeouts, then fanned another 18 in a win over Lakeland, in addition to batting .364 (4-for-11) for the week. … Berry junior pitcher Kassie Howard collected a complete game and a save, while allowing just three hits and one run over 13 innings. … East Texas Baptist senior first baseman Lacey Lindsey batted .700 (7-for-10) with three homers and six RBI … Coe sophomore pitcher Alyssa Olson allowed four hits and struck out seven in a victory over then-No. 9 St. Catherine. … Otterbein junior pitcher Rachael Owens went 2-0 with a 1.56 ERA over nine innings and went 4-for-12 (.333) at the plate. … Gallaudet freshman outfielder Briana Pogue hit .455 (5-for-11) with five runs, a triple, homer, five RBI and eight steals. … Otterbein senior center fielder Molly Riggs was 7-for-12 (.583) with five runs, a double and four steals. … Louisiana College junior pitcher Savannah Settle tossed a five-inning no-hitter (eight strikeouts) against Howard Payne. … Otterbein sophomore shortstop Alyson Shaw hit .500 (6-for-12) with a double and two RBI. … Belhaven senior pitcher Taylor Surrento was 3-0 with 22 strikeouts and seven walks over 21 innings and three complete games. Two of her wins were over then-No. 18 Texas-Dallas. … Brandeis freshman pitcher Scottie Todd allowed just two earned runs over 21 innings, while going 2-0 with 14 strikeouts. She had a two-hitter with six strikeouts in a win over York (Pa.).
The Louisville Slugger/NFCA Division III National Player and Pitcher of the Week are selected by Division III head coaches representing the eight NCAA regions.
2017 Louisville Slugger/NFCA Division III National Pitcher of the Week
March 1 — Hanna Hull, Virginia Wesleyan College, Fr. LHP, Chesterfield, Va.
Feb. 22 — Marie Collop, Berry College, Sr. RHP, Atlanta.
2017 Louisville Slugger/NFCA Division III National Player of the Week
March 1 — Ashley Royer, Wesley College, So. 3B, Lititz, Pa.
Feb. 22 — Sarah Moore, Berry College, Sr. SS, Lookout Mountain, Ga.