March 24, 2009

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Heather Pace of Belhaven (Miss.) has been selected as the NAIA Softball Player of the Week while Sharon Bell of St. Gregory’s (Okla.) was awarded the NAIA Softball Pitcher of the Week while for March 16-22.

Pace, a freshman shortstop from Sherman, Tex., batted .650 with 1.300 slugging percentage last week.  In five games she went 13-20 with two home runs, seven doubles, 18 RBI and nine runs scored.  Against then-No. 14 William Woods (Mo.), Pace set a new NAIA record with 11 RBI in a single game.

Bell, a senior pitcher from Perth, Australia, notched four wins in five appearances last week. She threw a perfect game against Baker (Kan.) while recording an NAIA record-tying 19 strike outs. On the week Bell pitched 27 innings allowing no earned runs, six hits and struck out 53 batters.

The next Players of the Week will be announced on March 31.

Other Player of the Week Nominees:

Haley Odle, Virginia Intermont; Kristy Britton, Bacone (Okla.); Kim Russell, MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.); Lauren Howell, Mountain State (W.V.); Kristen Lindley, Houston-Victoria (Tex.); Maggie O’Shea, St. Francis (Ill.); Chrissy Worth, Martin Methodist (Tenn.); Heather Dixon, College of Idaho; Paige Smith, Valley City State (N.D.); Cara DeStigter, Morningside (Iowa); Lindsay McGuire, McKendree (Ill.); Alex Jane Clemmons, Campbellsville (Ky.); Haley Stehouwer, Davenport (Mich.); Kristen Atzenhoefer, Malone (Ohio); Katie Hale, Southern Nazarene (Okla.); Tiffany Walker, Lee (Tenn.); Jessaca Spears, SCAD (Ga.); Tyanna Helton, William Penn (Iowa); Sarah Logan, Bethany (Kan.); Rebecca Vincent, York (Neb.); Ashley Boyd, California Baptist; Holly Weaver, Bethel (Ind.); Tayler Williams, Bethany (Calif.)

Other Pitcher of the Week Nominees:
Sidney Burns, Milligan (Tenn.); Chrissy Willis, Bacone (Okla.); Amy Searcy, MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.); Nicole Agambar, Mountain State (W.V.); Mindy Scott, Mobile (Ala.); Sara Jane Webster, Dickinson State (N.D.); Tasha Rotramel, Houston-Victoria (Tex.); Valerie Teter, Columbia (Mo.); Sally Gale, Martin Methodist (Tenn.); Brooke Judy, College of Idaho; Jess Irwin, Madonna (Mich.); Libby Munson, Shorter (Ga.); Lisa Williams, SCAD (Ga.); Virginia McAndrews, Judson (Ill.); Krsiten Zelenka, Point Park (Pa.); Ashley Johnson, William Penn (Iowa); Savannah Dejmal, Bethany (Kan.); Amber Matteoli, St. Catharine (Ky.); Nicole Clark, Indiana Wesleyan; Kora Behrens, Bellevue (Neb.); Kelly Sladek, Midland Lutheran (Neb.); Emma Holden, California Baptist

2009 Composite Award Winners:

March 17:

Player - Ginalee Davis, Lubbock Christian (Texas)

Pitcher - Kristen LeFan, Webber International (Fla.)

March 24:

Player – Heather Pace, Belhaven (Miss.)

Pitcher – Sharon Bell, St. Gregory’s (Okla.)

March 31:

Player

Pitcher

April 7:

Player

Pitcher

April 14:

Player

Pitcher

April 21:

Player

Pitcher

April 28:

Player

Pitcher