Pratt and Fields highlight Softball Weekly Honors
MAC Softball Pitcher of the Week
Brianna Pratt, Miami
Pitcher, Freshman, Perrysburg, Ohio (Perrysburg)
Freshman pitcher Brianna Pratt led the pitching staff this week as the RedHawks completed the sweep of Bowling Green before winning the series at Kent State to move into a tie for the league lead. Pratt earned all three of Miami's wins on the week, earning the win in each of her three appearances, as she had an ERA of 0.86 on the week. She pitched a total of 16.1 innings, giving up less than one hit per inning and striking out 14. Pratt did not give up an extra-base hit all week. She earned part of the shutout in the sweep-clinching shutout of Bowling Green on Wednesday, allowing just three hits in four innings while striking out six batters. Pratt started the 14-inning game against Kent State in game one on Saturday before coming back into the game in extra innings as relief to earn the win. She gave up no runs in 9.1 innings and struck out five. Pratt also earned the win in the series-clinching 16-3 five-inning win to end the weekend.
MAC Softball Player of the Week
Kendall Fields, Ball State
Designated Player, Sophomore, Lexington, Ky./Tates Creek
Sophomore designated player Kendall Fields put on an offensive show in Ball State’s series win at Western Michigan, blasting a home run in each of the three games and leading all players with 10 RBI on the weekend. She finished the series with a 1.083 slugging percentage and also scored three runs. Her first home run helped guide the Cardinals to a 7-5 victory in the opener, as she blasted her first career grand slam in the top of the first inning to give Ball State a 4-0 edge. In Saturday’s first game, Fields drove in the first run of the game with an RBI single to right. Then, with the Cardinals trailing 9-6 in the seventh, Fields came up with two runners on base and two outs. She would work the count full before blasting her second home run of the series, a three-run blast to force extra innings. In the series finale, Fields added a two-run blast with two outs in the third inning to drive in what stood to be the game-winning run in the 5-3 victory.
Other Pitcher Nominees
Andrea Scali, Kent State
Pitcher, Redshirt Freshman, Parma, Ohio / Parma
Kent State pitcher Andrea Scali fired two shutouts this week and struck out 20 while compiling a 0.61 ERA in 23.0 innings of work. She limited the opposition to a .207 batting average and only allowed one extra base hit. She began her week shutting out Ohio 1-0 on the road on Tuesday. She scattered six hits and struck out five in the shutout victory. The Golden Flashes defense helped her and did not record an error in the win as Kent State took two of three games in the series from the Bobcats. The threw another gem on Friday against Miami, again pitching a shutout, 3-0. She only allowed three hits and struck out nine. In a game that tied for the third longest in the NCAA this year, Scali worked nine innings out of the Kent State pen and allowed only two earned runs in the roller coaster affair and punched out six RedHawks in the process. A four-time MAC Pitcher of the Week, Scali recorded the first two conference shutouts of her collegiate career.
Madi McCrady, Ohio
Pitcher, Sophomore, Brimfield, Ohio/Walsh Jesuit
Sophomore pitcher Madi McCrady led Ohio this week in the circle. In three appearances, McCrady went 2-1 with a 1.47 ERA in 19 innings of work. She allowed six runs, four earned, walked four and struck out 19, while opponents only hit .191 against her. On April 10 against Kent State, McCrady pitched seven innings, allowing one unearned run on four hits, while walking two and striking out seven. Then on Avril 12 at Akron, McCrady pitched seven innings, allowing four runs, three earned, on eight hits, while walking one and striking out six in the victory. Then on April 13 against Akron, McCrady pitched all five innings of the 9-1 victory, allowing one run on one hit, walked one and struck out six batters.
Mackenzie Bryan, Northern Illinois
Pitcher, Sophomore, Elwood, Ind./Elwwod
Mackenzie Bryan went 2-0 last week, improving to 12-10 on the season, as she pitched complete game victories at Ball State and in the series finale with Toledo...The Huskie sophomore posted a 1.31 ERA, allowing six runs, three earned in 16 innings of work...Bryan began the week with an impressive 4-2 complete game victory over Ball State where she allowed two runs on four hits and five walks, while striking out five...She closed out her week going seven innings in the series-clinching 4-1 win over Toledo in the second game on the doubleheader...Bryan allowed one run on five hits and three walks while striking out five.
Tieghan Morio, Ball State
Starting Pitcher, Freshman, Mascoutah, Ill./Mascoutah
Freshman pitcher Tieghan Morio was a rock in the circle for the Cardinals last week, appearing in three of the team’s four games. Over 17.0 innings of work, she allowed just three earned runs. She opened the week by throwing 5.1 innings in a start against Northern Illinois, holding the Huskies to just two hits and one earned run.
She entered the series opener versus WMU in relief, throwing 6.0 innings and allowing just one run to earn the victory. She also picked up the win in the series finale, starting the game and throwing the first 5.2 innings and allowing just one earned run.
Ally Power, Buffalo
Pitcher, Senior, Parker, CO
Senior Ally Power turned in an outstanding week, going 1-1 in four appearances as the Bulls went 3-1 and emerged from the week in fifth place in the MAC standings. Power gave up just one run on four hits in three innings of relief in a 5-4 series-clinching victory over Bowling Green in the final game of the series at Bowling Green on Wednesday. On the week, Power compiled a 3.38 ERA and gave up just five earned runs and struck out 15 batters across 13.1 innings of work.
Sydney Stefanick, Western Michigan
RHP, Sophomore, Johnstown, Ohio (Johnstown)
Sophomore Sydney Stefanick allowed five earned runs in three appearances for Western Michigan during the Ball State series, tallying 16 strikeouts while allowing just one base on balls in 10.1 innings pitched. Stefanick didn't concede a Cardinal earned run in 6.1 innings in game one versus Ball State while tying a season-high with eight strikeouts.
Other Player Nominees
Megan Turner, Kent State
Infield, Freshman, Warren, Ohio / Champion
Kent State freshman Megan Turner registered a .600 (9-for-15) batting average with a home run this past week. The freshman has emerged this year especially in conference games where she is hitting .478. Turner collected a hit in every game this week and recorded a single at Ohio on Tuesday. She went 2-for-3 on Friday against Miami and sparked Kent State to take a lead in the game as she was lifted for a pinch-runner in the 3-0 win. In the middle game of the series, she went 4-for-7 with four singles in a game that is tied for the third longest game in the NCAA this season. She went a perfect 2-for-2 in the nightcap including a towering homer to right, her second of the season.
Alex Sorgi, Bowling Green
Senior, CF, Shelby Township, Mich. (Henry Ford II)
Bowling Green senior CF Alex Sorgi led the Falcons with a .563 batting average last week. Sorgi went 9-for-16 at the plate in BG’s four games, increasing a pair of impressive streaks. She has an eight-game hitting streak, and has reached base via hit or walk in her last 16 games. Sorgi had a base hit in the Falcons’ midweek matchup at Miami, then hit a whopping .667 in the weekend series vs. Buffalo, going 8-for-12 with three stolen bases and four runs scored vs. the Bulls. Sorgi, the Falcons’ leadoff hitter, helped the BG offense score 23 runs in the three games vs. the Bulls. On Friday, she was 2-for-3 with a steal and two runs scored in a narrow 11-9 loss. Then, on Saturday, she had six hits in the doubleheader, including a 4-for-5 effort in the opener. That game saw her pick up two hits in the same inning, as BG scored seven times in the first inning. She had another hit in the fourth inning, then had a bases-loaded, two-run walk-off single in the sixth as BG picked up a run-rule win. She scored a run and stole a base in that BG win. In the nightcap, Sorgi went 2-for-4 with another run scored and yet another steal vs. the Bulls. On the season, She is hitting .321 with team-leading totals of 29 runs, 42 hits and 21 stolen bases. She is hitting a team-leading .375 in MAC games, with an on-base percentage of .474.
Rachel Vieira, Central Michigan
Second base, Senior, Clarkston, Mich./Clarkson HS
Vieira hit .545 (6 for 11) and was perfect on all 12 of her defensive chances at second base in the Chippewas' four games last week.
Katie Yun, Ohio
Shortstop, Sophomore, North Canton, Ohio/North Canton Hoover
Sophomore shortstop Katie Yun led Ohio this week a the plate, batting .462 with six hits, three doubles, two homers, seven RBI, seven runs scored and 15 total bases. Yun also had a 1.54 slugging percentage and a .500 on base percentage. Yun also stole one base. On April 12 at Akron, Yun went 1-for-3 in the first game, while stealing one base and scoring two run in the 9-4 victory. On April 13 at Akron, Yun went 1-for-3 in the first game of the doubleheader, with two runs scored, one RBI and one double. Yun was on fire in the second game of the day, going 4-for-4 in the 13-5 win, hitting two doubles, two homeruns, scored three runs and had six RBI. "
Katie Cozy, Toledo
3B, Senior, Louisville, Ohio/ Louisville
Senior Katie Cozy went 6-for-10 this weekend as Toledo went 1-2 against Northern Illinois. The Louisville, Ohio native registered two RBIs on Saturday: one off a bases-loaded HBP and another on a solo homer in her final plate appearance of the series. Cozy reached base in each of UT’s games, and also got on in every appearance in the opening and closing games of the weekend. Cozy also collectively put four runs on the board in the Midnight Blue and Gold’s favor.
Abby Howlett, Northern Illinois
UTL, Senior, South Elgin, Ill./St. Charles North
Abby Howlett batted .444 on the week going 4-for-9 at the plate, including three extra base hits, with three RBIs and a 1.000 slugging percentage in four games...She played a key role in NIU's 6-5 series opening victory over Toledo, driving in three RBIs and a run scored...In that win over the Rockets, Howlett blasted a two-run home run, her second of the season, to tie the game and keep the Huskies alive...She was 2-for-5 in Saturday's doubleheader with Toledo, with a double in each game...Howlett helped NIU to series-clinching 4-1 win in game two of the doubleheader making the start at designated player.
Morgan Lott, Miami
Outfielder, Sophomore, Caledonia, Ohio (River Valley)
Sophomore outfielder Morgan Lott led Miami's offense this week as the RedHawks completed the sweep of Bowling Green before winning the series at Kent State to move into a tie for the league lead. Lott went 8-of-15 (.533) to lead Miami's roster this week. She hit a double and a home run while adding two runs and two RBI. Lott led the RedHawks with a slugging percentage of .800 and an on-base percentage of .563 with 12 total bases. Her week was highlighted by a perfect 3-of-3, two runs, one-RBI game in the 16-3 win in five innings to clinch the series win at Kent State on Saturday. Lott was also perfect at the plate in the sweep-clinching win against Bowling Green on Wednesday, going 2-of-2 with a walk and a team-high two stolen bases. She also had a three-hit game in the first win against Kent State on Saturday.
Jenelle Martinez, Buffalo
Infield, Junior, Cypress, CA
Junior Jenelle Martinez continued to impress as she went .438 (7-for-16) at the plate with five RBI, two home runs and five runs scored while recording a .813 slugging percentage and .438 on base percentage to lead the Bulls to a 3-1 record on the week. Against Akron, Martinez blasted two home runs, part of a four home run effort by the Bulls, tying a UB single-game record. In game one at Bowling Green, the junior was 4-for-5 at the plate with two runs scored.
Sydney Stefanick, Western Michigan
DH, Sophomore, Johnstown, Ohio (Johnstown)
Sophomore Sydney Stefanick paced the Western Michigan offense while the Broncos went 2-2 on the week, batting .467 with seven hits and seven runs batted in. She notched a base hit in all four games, including a 3-for-5 with four RBI performance during game two of the Ball State series.
