Holly Speers Doubles Up on National Player of the Week Honors
Courtesy of Kent State Sports Information
KENT, Ohio - Kent State senior infielder Holly Speers has been recognized as the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Week and Louisville Slugger / NFCA National Player of the Week. The Golden Flashes have won a weekly national award in the past four seasons.
Speers had a monster week at the dish hitting .778 (7-for-9) with four home runs, two doubles, two walks, 11 RBI and a slugging percentage of 2.333; while leading the team to a 3-1 record. The exceptional week ascended her up the national rankings to lead the country in batting average (.495), on base percentage (.649), slugging percentage (1.038) and walks per game (1.15).
"Holly is one of the best hitters in the country and she has been for years," said Kent State head coach Eric Oakley. "Not only does she excel on the field, but she is one of the best students of the game. She is a mentor to our younger players."
She began her big week on Wednesday against Pitt, clubbing a pinch hit grand slam in the sixth inning. Speers went 1-for-2 with a double, a walk and a run scored in Kent State's 10-0 (five innings) win over Buffalo. In game two of the series against Buffalo on Saturday, she blasted two home runs and was 3-for-3 with a walk, and collected three RBI and scored two runs in the Flashes' 13-1 (five innings) win.
In the series finale, she was 2-for-3 with four RBI and a dinger, smacking a three-RBI double in the fourth to eventually lead Kent State to a 13-1 (five innings) victory and series sweep. Speers was part of an offense that scored 11 runs in fourth inning as Kent State outscored Buffalo 33-3 in the series.
"I'm honored to receive this recognition," Speers said. "It is a great achievement and it wouldn't be possible without my teammates. It's great to receive the recognition, but we are still working toward our main goal of winning the MAC Tournament."
The Surrey, B.C. native is hitting .495 this season with 14 home runs, 50 RBI and 47 walks. She moved into second place in school history with 139 RBI surpassing Jessica Carmichael's (2008-11) 132. Her 50 career home runs also rank second in program history and is also second with 116 walks.
Speers swept both national player of the week awards in 2016 when she set an NCAA record by homering in five consecutive at bats. She accomplished the feat over a span of four games against UCF and three games vs. Central Michigan. She also reached base in 11 consecutive plate appearances, which tied for fifth in NCAA history.
Kent State has garnered national attention for the fourth consecutive year. In 2015 current Flashes pitching coach Emma Johnson won the NFCA award throwing 22.1 innings that included three shutouts, a no-hitter, a one-hitter and a two-hitter. Last season Ronnie Ladines earned both awards. She earned the Louisville Slugger/NFCA National Pitcher of the Week thowing 12 innings of scoreless ball with a perfect game and no-hitter against Buffalo. She followed up by winning the USA Softball Collegiate National Player of the Week award at the MAC Tournament. Ladines won four games inside the circle with a 1.06 ERA and 34 strikes while batting .529 (9-for-17) with two doubles, four home runs, seven RBI and a 1.353 slugging percentage.
Kent State (23-19, 9-8 MAC) returns to action on Friday to kick off a three-game series against Mid-American Conference East Division foe, Bowling Green.
