KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Sarah Burns of Belhaven (Miss.) has been tabbed as the NAIA National Softball Pitcher of the Week and Kim Frazier of Lubbock Christian (Texas) has been named the NAIA National Softball Player of the Week, the national office announced Tuesday. Burns and Frazier are the final honorees of the 2011 season. The pair was chosen, based on their performances from April 25 – May 1, out of a pool of conference player of the week selections among 24 conference/independent/unaffiliated groupings.

Burns, 5-7 senior pitcher from Edmond, Okla., was honored as the Southern States Athletic Conference Tournament MVP after she compiled a 4-0 record last weekend. She helped lead Belhaven to the SSAC Tournament championship. She limited opponents to four runs (one earned) and 20 hits in 24 innings of work, all coming against nationally recognized teams. She struck out 28 batters overall.

In the 12-3 victory against Lee (Tenn.), who is receiving votes in the coaches’ poll, she struck out 11 batters and allowed three unearned runs in 5.0 innings of work on April 28. The next day, Burns notched both of the team’s complete-game wins, a 2-1 victory against No. 16 Shorter (Ga.) and a 2-0 triumph over No. 11 Brenau (Ga.). On April 30, she pitched a five-inning shutout of Shorter in the title game, allowing just four hits and fanning six batters.

Burns is 30-7 on the season, which is listed as the second-most wins in the NAIA. She ranks seventh in strikeouts (230) and 12^th in ERA (1.15).

Frazier, a 5-4 junior first baseman from Buena Park, Calif., tied the NAIA career home run record with her 52nd and 53rd roundtripper of her career. Both blasts came in a 2-for-2 effort in the 4-3 victory against NCAA Division II No. 23 West Texas A&M on April 26. Her other highlight came in the 6-1 win against Southern Nazarene (Okla.) on April 30 when she went 2-for-2 with one run scored, one stolen base and one walk.
 

In four games during the week, she batted .400 (4-for-10), had a 1.000 slugging percentage, scored three times, posted four RBIs and two homers.

Frazier ranks fourth in the nation in both home runs (18) and slugging percentage (.966). She also ranks sixth in RBIs (62) and seventh in runs scored (57).

For a complete listing of all the national statistical leaders, click here.

Pitcher Nominees: Valerie Teter, Columbia (Mo.); Kaitlyn Hasty, Evangel (Mo.); Jenny Schneider, Ottawa (Kan.); Amanda Neumann, Bellevue (Neb.); Kristen Zelenka, Point Park (Pa.); Sara Jane Webster, Dickinson State (N.D.); Jenna Swain, Indiana-Southeast; Nicky Newhoff, Clarke (Iowa); Larisa Garcia, Northwood (Texas); Sam Cole, Davenport (Mich.); Giana Zimmerman, Bethel (Ind.); Lisa Williams, SCAD Savannah (Ga.); Jessica Speake, Cumberlands (Ky.); Maddie Monroe, Reinhardt (Ga.); Meagan Navarrette, Lubbock Christian (Texas); Alysia Wittmaack, Nebraska Wesleyan; Katlin White, Martin Methodist (Tenn.); Renee Santos, Concordia (Ore.); Kim Malacina, St. Francis (Ill.); Emma Holden, California Baptist; Brenna Sandberg, California State-San Marcos.

Player Nominees: Sam Clowdus, Evangel (Mo.); Lindsey Tuter, Ottawa (Kan.); Jennifer Gulley, Mount Vernon Nazarene (Ohio); Nicole Youngblood, Dickinson State (N.D.); Alyssa Mangum, Peru State (Neb.); Hallie Horton, Williams Baptist (Ark.); Brittany Luna, Northwood (Texas); Melissa Vance, Waldorf (Iowa); Shelby Mendlik, Doane (Neb.); Katie Boocher, Bethel (Ind.); Renae Tubergen, Aquinas (Mich.); Jordan Reynolds, Olivet Nazarene (Ill.); Jessaca Spears, SCAD Savannah (Ga.); Emily Woolum, Midway (Ky.); Milagros Lozada, Mobile (Ala.); Nikki Roddy, Reinhardt (Ga.); Jackie Lloyd, Mid-Continent (Ky.); Abbie Pynch, Corban (Ore.); Kimberly Skoglund, Vanguard (Calif.); Alex Miller, California State-San Marcos; Alex Jane Clemmons, Campbellsville (Ky.).

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.)

Week 8 (May 3): Kim Frazier, Lubbock Christian (Texas); Sarah Burns, Belhaven (Miss.)