Pitcher & Player fo the Week No. 7
April 26, 2011
Contact: Chad Waller, NAIA Director of Sports Information & Media Services, cwaller@naia.org
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Emily Guess of Central Baptist (Ark.) has been tabbed as the NAIA National Softball Pitcher of the Week and Valerie Teter of Columbia (Mo.) has been named the NAIA National Softball Player of the Week, the national office announced Tuesday. Guess and Teter are the seventh honorees of the 2011 season. The pair was chosen, based on their performances from April 18 -- 24, out of a pool of conference player of the week selections among 24 conference/independent/unaffiliated groupings.
Guess, a 5-6 freshman pitcher from Little Rock, Ark., tossed two perfect games for Central Baptist last week. She struck out every batter she faced (30) in both five-inning wins. The two opponents she defeated were Hillsdale Free Will Baptist (Okla.) on April 18 and Crowley’s Ridge (Ark.) on April 22.
On the year, Guess leads the country in ERA. (0.381) and ranks third in strikeouts per nine innings (14.5).
Teter, a 5-7 senior pitcher from Bevier, Mo., had an outstanding week at the plate and in the circle in leading the Cougars to a share of the American Midwest Conference regular season title. She batted .846 (11-for-13), driving in 13 runs, scored seven times and had four home runs in as many games. In the 8-1 victory against Harris-Stowe (Mo.) on April 21, Teter smashed a solo homer, with her team trailing 1-0 in the bottom of the sixth inning. Her highlight came in the second game of the doubleheader where she was 4-for-4 with seven RBIs, three runs scored and two roundtrippers. In the circle, she was 4-0 in 24.0 innings and allowed just nine hits. She logged 46 strikeouts (1.92 per inning) and had an opponent batting average of .110
Valerie is fifth in the NAIA this season with a .496 batting average and her 11 home runs ties a Cougar single-season record.
For a complete listing of all the national statistical leaders, click here.
The final Player of the Week announcement for the 2011 season will be on May 3.
Pitcher Nominees: Brenna Sandberg, California State-San Marcos; Emily Bergstrom, Houston-Victoria (Texas); Jenny Schneider, Ottawa (Kan.); Kelsey Robinson, Asbury (Ky.); Riley Mashburn, Trevecca Nazarene (Tenn.); Amanda Neumann, Bellevue (Neb.); Katelyn Tolle, Evangel (Mo.); Larisa Garcia, Northwood (Texas); BethAnn Swartz, McKendree (Ill.); Brenda Emberson, St. Thomas (Fla.); Jennifer Whitehead, William Penn (Iowa); Sara Jane Webster, Dickinson State (N.D.); Kelsey Robertson, Point Park (Pa.); Katie Boocher, Bethel (Ind.); Megan Nonnemacher, St. Xavier (Ill.); Jordan Simmons, Southern Nazarene (Okla.); Keely Bracelin, Northwestern (Iowa); Michelle Dresselhaus, Georgetown (Ky.); Anna Maness, Brenau (Ga.); Jess Irwin, Madonna (Mich.); Renee Santos, Concordia (Ore.); Stacie Salazar, Vanguard (Calif.); Rachel Stowe, Montreat (N.C.).
Player Nominees: Alison Tunnell, Oklahoma Baptist; Courtney Pettit, Houston-Victoria (Texas); Myah Sprew, Ottawa (Kan.); Katie Jelinek, Indiana-Southeast; Amanda Neumann, Bellevue (Neb.); Sam Clowdus, Evangel (Mo.); Tancy Matthews, Northwood (Texas); Carissa Albizu, St. Thomas (Fla.); Jessica Kuhlman, Cornerstone (Mich.); Molly Anderson, Olivet Nazarene (Ill.); Jasmine Shelby, William Carey (Miss.); Jane Pettit, Valley City State (N.D.); Brittany Cherry, Oregon Tech; Logan Story, Waldorf (Iowa); Sarah Murray, Cumberland (Tenn.); Emily Lamkin, Bethel (Ind.); Amber Bowman, Rio Grande (Ohio); Carly McLennan, Central Baptist (Ark.); Kelsey Wilson, Cedarville (Ohio); Erika Marmolejo, Azusa Pacific (Calif.); Jamie Lokken, Montreat (N.C.); Marcia Kennedy, Nebraska Wesleyan.
2011 Softball Weekly Honors (Player, Pitcher):
Week 1 (March 15): Tina Galinato, California Baptist; Anyibell Ramirez, Lindsey Wilson (Ky.)
Week 2 (March 22): Annalee Carr, Belhaven (Miss.); Anna Ard, William Carey (Miss.)
Week 3 (March 29): Anna Frazee, Shorter (Ga.); Brandi Richards, Auburn Montgomery (Ala.)
Week 4 (April 5): Charisse Colston, Notre Dame (Ohio); Anna Ard, William Carey (Miss.)
Week 5 (April 12): Kelli Traffas, Bethany (Kan.); Anyibell Ramirez, Lindsey Wilson (Ky.)
Week 6 (April 19): Kayla Lucas, Central Baptist (Ark.); Emily Bergstrom, Houston-Victoria (Texas)
Week 7 (April 26): Valeria Teter, Columbia (Mo.); Emily Guess, Central Baptist (Ark.)