MAC Softball Player of the Week
Kayla Wulf, Akron
Catcher, Junior, Maumee, Ohio | Maumee HS
Junior Kayla Wulf paced an Akron offense at the Samford Tournament that scored 35 runs on 50 hits. The Zips catcher recorded a slash line of .588/1.000/.667. In 17 at-bats, Wulf posted 10 hits, 1 double, two home runs, and drew four walks. Wulf contributed to nine runs on the weekend for UA garnering five RBI and six runs scored while also stealing two bases and totaling 17 bases. In three straight games, Wulf recorded a three-hit performance going a combined 9-for-11 with four RBI, two home runs and a double. In the field, Wulf registered 19 putouts and three assists.
MAC Softball Pitcher of the Week
Erin Hunt, Toledo
Pitcher, Junior, Dansville, Mich. (Dansville)
Junior Erin Hunt went 2-0 this weekend at the H.E.B Classic hosted by Incarnate Word in San Antonio. In her first appearance of the season, Hunt tied her program-record for strikeouts in a single game, striking out 14 batters the first game of the tournament. Hunt continued her success in the circle later that day, completing the save against Texas Southern with three strikeouts. The Dansville, Mich. native pitched a complete game against Incarnate Word on day two of the tournament, striking out 11. Hunt finished the weekend with 28 strikeouts and a 0.46 ERA.
Other Player Nominees
Cari Padula, WMU
1B/INF, Sr., Commerce Township/Farmington Hills Mercy
Cari Padula had a strong showing at the plate for the Broncos throughout the Kajikawa Classic. She started in all four games and earned a hit in nearly every game off of 11 at-bats. She hit a home run against Portland State and racked up a team-high four RBIs, two coming in the game against Utah. In Saturday's win over ASU, Padula had a single that helped put runners in scoring position on the way to a 7-9 victory. Padula had a .273 batting average over the tournament with just four strikeouts over five games.
Katie Yun, Ohio
Short Stop, Junior, North Canton, Ohio (North Canton Hoover)
Junior shortstop Katie Yun led Ohio offensively this past weekend. Overall, Yun hit .467 with seven hits, two runs scored, two doubles, one homerun, three RBI and slugged .800. She also registered a .467 on base percentage and only struck out once. Yun got on the homerun train right away, hitting a two-run homerun on Feb. 7 against UAB in her first at bat. She finished the game 2-for-3 with one run and two RBI. Later in the day against No. 1 Washington, Yun finished the day 2-for-3 with one run scored and one RBI. On Feb. 8 against Furman Yun registered one hit. On Feb. 9, Yun finished the first game of the day against UAB with one hit, before wrapping up the weekend with one base hit against Georgia Tech.
Kara Apato, Northern Illinois
Outfielder, Sophomore, Oak Lawn, Ill./Marist
Kara Apato was the most productive Huskie for the NIU softball team during the FAU First Pitch Classic. She started all five games for NIU in the outfield and batted .500 recording at least one hit in all five contests. Apato's best performance of the weekend came against Wisconsin where she went 2-for-3. She went 1-for-3 with two runs scored in the Huskies' contest with Purdue.
Dayna Denner, Toledo
Third Base, Junior, Brooklyn Heights, Ohio (Cuyahoga Heights)
Junior Dayna Denner had an outstanding debut for the Rockets, going 7-for-17 with a home run and seven RBIs. Denner's five RBIs in the Rockets' 7-5 win over Texas Southern ties for second in program history for RBIs in a single game. The Brooklyn Heights, Ohio native stayed hot in the box, earning her seventh RBI of the weekend in the Rockets' seventh inning rally over Incarnate Word.
Morgan Lott, Miami
Outfield, Junior, Caledonia, Ohio / River Valley
Junior outfielder Morgan Lott led Miami at the plate as the RedHawks picked up three wins during opening weekend. On the weekend, Lott led the RedHawks in batting average (.450), at-bats (20), runs (4) and hits (9), in addition to being perfect in the field. She drove in the game-winning run in the 10th inning against Western Illinois. Lott went 3-of-5 with an RBI and three runs in the 10-8 win against Loyola-Chicago. She also recorded multi-hit games against Western Illinois (2-of-5, RBI), IUPUI (2-of-4, RBI) and Omaha (2-of-3), leading the team in hits against IUPUI and Omaha.
Haley Dominique, Ball State
Left Field, Senior, Oregon, Ohio/Clay
Ball State senior left fielder Haley Dominique led all Mid-American Conference players with eight runs score on the week. She recorded at least one hit and at least on run in four of the five games she played. In the Cardinals' win over Prairie View A&M, Dominique went 5-for-6 from the plate and scored five runs. She also drove in a run in Ball State's one-run loss at No. 8 Louisiana and collected a pair of RBI vs. PVAMU.
Brenna Brownfield, Kent State
Utility, Junior, Thornville, Ohio/Lakewood
Brenna Brownfield led Kent State’s offense with a .364/.462/1.182 slash on opening weekend at the Red & Black Showcase. Brownfield homered in each of the final three games and totaled 6 RBIs. She gave the Golden Flashes the lead over #16 Georgia with a solo shot in the top of the first inning on Friday evening. Brownfield was then intentionally walked in her next trip to the plate to load the bases with one out in the top of the third. She added first-inning homers each of the two following days against Howard to share the conference lead for roundtrippers.
Olivia Kincanon, Buffalo
Catcher, Sophomore, Lancaster, NY / Lancaster
Olivia Kincanon had a solid weekend for the Bulls as she batted .375, recording two doubles and two RBI on a team-best six hits to help lead Buffalo to a pair of wins to start the season.
Other Pitcher Nominees
Sydney Sefanick, WMU
P, Junior, Johnstown, Ohio
Sydney Stefanick pitched a complete game against nationally-ranked Arizona State on Saturday (2/8) at the Kajikawa Classic in Tempe, Arizona. Stefanick struck out five Sun Devil batters on the way to a 9-7 win for the Broncos. She also tallied three hits, a tie for her highest of the tournament, 2 RBIs, and a solo home run, going 3-for-4 at the plate.
Alyssa Rothwell, Ball State
Pitcher, Senior, Ashville, Ohio/Teays Valley
After starting the first two games of the season, Ball State softball senior pitcher Alyssa Rothwell entered Sunday's 8-2 (6) victory over Arkansas-Pine Bluff in a more familiar place; a key situation late in the game. The Golden Lions (0-5) had just scored the first two runs of the weekend finale with two outs in the third, and had the Cardinals (2-3) on the ropes with bases load. Much as she has done throughout her career, Rothwell entered the circle and did not waiver; striking out the first batter she faced on four pitches to limit the damage to two runs. She controlled the UAPB offense from there, striking out eight of the 12 batters she faced over 3.1 innings to pick up her first win of the season. Rothwell entered the 2020 season poised to break the NCAA career saves record, posting 28 saves over her first three seasons as the team's closer. On opening day, however, she started both games and threw a combined 7.0 innings, going 3.0 vs. UTSA and 4.0 against No. 8 Louisiana. She struck out nine batters during her time in the circle, while allowing just four earned runs.
Madi Huck, Kent State
Pitcher, Senior, Delaware, Ohio/Delaware Hayes
Madi Huck earned a victory in Kent State’s season opener against UNCW and recorded a 1.17 ERA and nine strikeouts over six innings of work at the Red & Black Showcase. Huck struck out five and allowed one run in four innings against the Seahawks. She added four strikeouts over two scoreless innings Sunday against Howard. The senior limited opposing hitters to a .200 batting average.
Madelyn Hickingbottom, Buffalo
Pitcher, Freshman, Glen Williams, ON, Canada / Georgetown District
Freshman Madelyn Hickingbottom impressed in her debut weekend for the Bulls as she went 2-0 in four appearances while giving up just seven earned runs and allowing just seven walks to 16 strikeouts for a 2.58 ERA in 19.0 innings pitched on the weekend.
