Jascoe and Geno Share Softball Player of the Week Honors
MAC Pitcher of the Week
Andrea Scali, Kent State
Pitcher, R-Freshman, Parma, Ohio / Parma
Kent State redshirt freshman pitcher Andrea Scali was dominant in her first weekend of competition, throwing 16 innings while not allowing a run and striking out 27 batters. The Parma, Ohio native went a perfect 3-0 inside the circle and compiled an impressive WHIP of 0.38. In her first collegiate start, Scali struck out the side in the first inning en route to a complete game one-hitter with 12 strikeouts against LIU Brooklyn in a 7-1 win. She followed her debut performance with a five-inning, one-hit shutout while striking out 10 in an 11-0 drubbing of Penn State on Saturday. To conclude the weekend, she came out of the bullpen for four frames, allowing just one hit and collecting five strikeouts as the Flashes swept the series against Penn State, 9-2.
MAC Co-Player of the Week
Sydney Jascoe, Akron
Third base, R-Sophomore, Commerce, Mich. / Marion Catholic HS
Redshirt sophomore Sydney Jascoe picked up right where she left off from 2018 that earned her a spot in the All-MAC Second Team. Jascoe tallied a slash line of .625/.875/.684 while also posts a 1.559 OPS in the Zips five games this past weekend. Akron's third baseman knocked out 10 hits, one double, one home run, four RBI, totaled 14 bases, scored four runs, walked twice and swiped two bases (2-for-2). Jascoe did not go without a hit in any of the Zips five games going 3-for-4, 2-for-3, 1-for-2, 2-for-4, and 2-for-3, respectively. Jascoe drove in a weekend-high two RBI in game one vs. Morgan State, scored a weekend-high two runs in game two vs. Morgan State, which included her first home run of the season, and a weekend-high three hits against the Bears. In total, Jascoe was responsible for seven of the Zips 31 runs scored. In the field defensively, Jascoe was perfect at the hot corner which included 10 assists, 12 putouts, and one double play.
Morgan Geno, Ohio
UTL/1B, Senior, Chillicothe, Ohio / Zane Trace
Senior Morgan Geno led the Bobcats offensively this past weekend at the 2019 Phyllis Rafter Memorial hosted by Kennesaw State, where the Bobcats finished the weekend with a 4-1 record. Overall, Geno batted .563 with nine hits in 16 at bats, scored two runs, had one double and one triple. She also recorded seven RBI, had a .813 slugging percentage and a .650 on base percentage. Geno drew three walks and was hit by a pitch, while only striking out twice. Also, in her first weekend at first base, Geno recorded 25 putouts and only one error for a .962 fielding percentage. On Feb. 8 in the first day of the tournament, the Bobcats opened-with a 9-8 victory over Eastern Illinois. In that game Geno went 1-for-2 with two walks and a run scored. Later in the day, the Bobcats would fall to Chattanooga, but Geno would 2-for-3 with three RBI. The Bobcats returned to action on Feb. 9, defeating Morehead State, 6-1. In that game, Geno when 2-for-3 with two RBI, one walk, her first homerun of the season and scored one run. Geno wrapped up Saturday with a 2-for-4 performance, with a double and an RBI in the Bobcats' 7-2 victory over Kennesaw State. On Sunday, the final day of the memorial, Geno led Ohio to a 4-1 victory over Eastern Illinois, going 2-for-3 with and RBI and was hit by a pitch.
Other Pitcher Nominees
Mackensie Kohl, Ohio
Pitcher, Freshman, Corona Del Mar, Calif. / Mater Dei
Freshman pitcher Mackensie Kohl made the most of her first weekend in the Green and White, registering a 2-0 record with one save in four appearances. Kohl recorded a 1.35 ERA in 20.2 innings, allowing four earned runs on 15 hits, walking only four and striking out 11. Opponents only hit .188 off of her and she also recorded two complete games in her two starts. On Feb. 8 against Eastern Illinois, Kohl's debut came in the bottom of the seventh with the bases loaded, where she allowed one run on one hit and walked one batter in her one inning of work, picking up a save in the 9-8 victory. Kohl would come on in relief against Chattanooga later in the day, pitching 5.2 innings, allowing two runs on seven hits and four strikeouts. Feb, 9 saw Kohl's first career start against Morehead State, where she was masterful, pitching seven innings, allowing one run on one hit, stuck out five and did not walk a batter in the 6-1 victory. It was her first career win and complete game. Kohl closed out the weekend with a 4-1 victory against Eastern Illinois, pitching seven innings, allowing one run on six hits, walked two and struck out two in her second complete game of the weekend.
Adrian Smith, Akron
Pitcher, Junior, St. Calirsville, Ohio \ St. Clairsville
Adrian Smith made her Akron debut this past weekend at the Blue Host Invitational and thrived inside the circle earning Akron its first two victories of the 2019 season. In four appearances and two starts, Smith went 2-0 on weekend earning her first career wins as a Zips. The junior tossed 21 innings, tallied a 2.33 ERA, gave up 15 hits, seven runs, struck out 19, threw one complete game and a combined shutout. Smith also held a 1.000 fielding percentage with nine assists in nine chances.
Sarah Venker, Ball State
Starting Pitcher, Freshman, Houston, Texas / Episcopal
Ball State freshman pitcher Sarah Venker had a nearly perfect start to her collegiate career, picking up a pair of wins, posting a 0.00 ERA and surrendering just two hits over 8.1 innings of work to help carry the Cardinals to a 3-2 record at the FGCU Kickoff Classic. Venker, who combined for a pair of shutout wins, also limited opposing batters to a .071 average on the weekend. Venker opened her collegiate career by throwing a pair of hitless innings in relief in Ball State’s 7-4 win over LIU Brooklyn to open the season. In her first career appearance, Venker struck out three of the nine batters she faced over her 2.0 innings of work. She followed with a brilliant performance to help the Cardinals avenge an earlier loss to Penn State, holding the Nittany Lions to just two hits and one walk over 5.1 innings of work. In her first collegiate start, she also struck out three more batters and combined with junior closer Alyssa Rothwell for the team’s first shutout of the 2019 campaign. Venker followed with one more strong outing, throwing the sixth inning for the Cardinals in the weekend finale at FGCU. After Ball State scored the game’s first two runs in the top of the sixth inning, Venker entered the game and retired the side in the bottom of the frame before once again yielding to the BSU closer Rothwell.
Mackenzie Bryan, Northern Illinois
Pitcher, Sophomore, Elwood, Ind./Elwood
Mackenzie Bryan went 2-1 at the Lion Classic I, appearing in all five games for NIU. The Huskie sophomore recorded two of NIU's three wins on the weekend, while striking out 18. She was in the circle in NIU's 8-0 win over Mississippi Valley State, allowing two hits while striking out six. In the Huskies' 7-3 victory over Southeastern Louisiana, she tallied seven strike outs, while allowing two runs, five hits and three walks in three innings of work.
Lace Smith, Buffalo
Pitcher, Senior, Valrico, Fla.
Buffalo senior pitcher Lace Smith had a good start to the 2019 season at the Titan Classic in Fullerton, California. Smith finished with a 2.16 ERA in 16.2 innings of work on the weekend, allowing just four earned runs while striking out six in three appearances.
Other Player Nominees
Mackenzie Swinehart, Western Michigan
OF, Junior, Mattawan, Mich. / Mattawan
Western Michigan junior Mackenzie Swinehart batted a team-high .529 this past weekend, as the Broncos played five games - including four against PAC-12 opponents - at the Kajikawa Classic in Tempe, Ariz. Swinehart batted from the leadoff spot and went 9-for-17 with an RBI, a run scored and a walk. She had a .529 slugging percentage and a .556 on-base percentage.
Shaidan Knapp, Central Michigan
DP/RF, Sophomore, Vicksburg, Mich./Vicksburg HS
Knapp is the Chippewa leadoff hitter. She batted .375 over five games and drove in a run on six total hits.
Kaitlyn Miller, Kent State
Infield, Sophomore, Pickerington, Ohio / Pickerington Central
Kent State sophomore infielder Kaitlyn Miller led the Golden Flashes at the plate with a .400 batting average and .600 slugging percentage in the opening weekend of the season, which included a sweep over a Big 10 school. Miller (6-for-15) reached base in all five of KSU’s games on the weekend while scoring three runs and driving in six. She blasted her first career home run, a three-run shot in the second inning, to lift the Flashes past LIU Brooklyn. The sophomore, who was a member of the MAC All-Freshman team a season ago, capped off an excellent weekend against Penn State, going 2-for-4 with an RBI single and a run scored in the 11-0 win. In the series finale, Miller was 1-for-3 with an RBI knock and a run scored in the 9-2 victory.
Jenny Van Geertry, Northern Illinois
OF, Sr., Mokena, Ill./Lincoln-Way East
Jenny Van Geertry turned in an incredible first weekend of softball, batting a team-best .467, while slugging 1.133 at the Lion Classic I. Van Geertry blasted three home runs, including the game winner in the Huskies' 3-2 victory over Nicholls State in the tournament finale. She also had the game-clinching home run in NIU's 8-0 five-inning win over MIssissippi Valley State as NIU went 3-2 in their five games.
Johniann Wahl, Miami
Infielder, Senior, Rancho Palos Verdes, California (Palos Verdes)
Senior infielder Johniann Wahl led the Miami team during opening weekend, winning two of its final three games at the USC Upstate Tournament. Wahl led the RedHawks offense in runs (4), home runs (2), total bases (12), slugging percentage (1.000) and walks (4) and was tied for the team lead in batting average (.417), hits (5) and on-base percentage (.563). Wahl led the Miami defense with 39 put-outs and was perfect in the field this weekend. Wahl led the team in hits in two of the five games this weekend and was tied for the team lead in a third. With her play this weekend, Wahl moved up to second in program history with 107 RBI and is now tied for fifth with 34 doubles.
Kylie Norwood, Toledo
SS, Sophomore, Santa Clarita, Calif.
Norwood was a clutch player for the Midnight Blue and Gold all weekend. The sophomore went 8-for-17 (.471) over three days, recording eight hits, eight RBIs,two homers, 14 total bases, eight putouts and nine assists to end the tournament with a .824 SLG%, .474 OBP and .895 FLD%. Norwood’s weekend was highlighted by a grand slam in the second inning of UT’s final game of the UNI-Dome Classic. The homerun was the only score of the day, as UT would go on to blank Saint Louis 4-0.
Alicia Peters, Buffalo
UTL, Sophomore, Chico, Calif./Pleasant Valley (Sierra College)
Buffalo sophomore Alicia Peters made an impact in her first games for the Bulls as she finished with a .333 average with four hits, including two doubles, in 12 at bats on the weekend at the Titan Classic in Fullerton, California.
