Story by Chad Waller, Director of Communications and Sports Information

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – MacKenzie Bowden (pictured top left) of William Woods (Mo.) has been named the NAIA Softball National Pitcher of the Week and Cassidy Horner of Concordia (Ore.) has been selected as the National Player of the Week, the national office announced Tuesday. Bowden and Horner were selected based on their performances from April 28 – May 4 and were chosen out of a pool of conference, independent and unaffiliated group winners.

Bowden, a 5-foot-5 senior pitcher from Hartsburg, Mo., helped lead William Woods to the American Midwest Conference (AMC) Tournament championship with her pitching efforts. In three appearances and 16 2/3 innings last week, Bowden posted totals of 23 strikeouts and just three walks. She allowed two earned runs and 10 hits in two wins and a save. In the 3-2, nine-inning win over Freed-Hardeman (Tenn.) in the AMC tournament on May 1, she tallied 16 K's. Later that same day, she recorded a 2/3 inning save in the 6-3 triumph over Park (Mo.). On May 2, Bowden mowed down Columbia (Mo.) in seven innings, 6-0, in the AMC championship.

Bowden, who also earned this national award during the week of April 8, was named the AMC Pitcher of the Year. She ranks No. 4 in the NAIA in batters struck out per nine (10.7), No. 5 in ERA (0.90) and No. 6 in opponent batting average (.165).

Horner, a 5-foot-6 senior third baseman from Cottonwood, Calif., compiled five hits in six official at-bats during a 3-0 week for the Cavaliers in the Cascade Collegiate Conference (CCC) tournament. Overall, she batted .833, had an on-base percentage of .909, scored twice, recorded five RBIs and walked four times. She started the weekend with the team's first grand slam of the season to send Concordia to a 10-1 win over College of Idaho on May 1. In the next two games, Horner went 2-for-2 from the plate as the Cavaliers won their second ever conference title.

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

This is the final national weekly honor.

Player Nominees: Emily Murphy, William Woods (Mo.); Justine Phillips, Olivet Nazarene (Ill.); Lauren Ehle, Taylor (Ind.); Taylor Daas, Morningside (Iowa); Megan Eldredge, Benedictine (Kan.); Sandy Young, Georgetown (Ky.); Shelby Kindelin, Bellevue (Neb.); Bri Zerley, William Penn (Iowa); Liz Hall-Sewell, Valley City State (N.D.); Kyndra Holasek, Oklahoma City.

Pitcher Nominees: McKenzie Marshall, Concordia (Ore.); Hannah Klebesadel, Taylor (Ind.); Jordan Johnson, Morningside (Iowa); Aubrey Utley, Central Methodist (Mo.); Jessica Claxton, Georgetown (Ky.); Taylor Mohler, Bellevue (Neb.); Jennifer Whitehead, William Penn (Iowa); Rachel Hughes, Dakota State (S.D.); Danielle Fox, Oklahoma City.

2014 Softball Weekly Honors (Player, Pitcher):
Week 1 (March 18): Hannah Gardner, Olivet Nazarene (Ill.); Nicole Nonnemacher, Saint Xavier (Ill.)
Week 2 (March 25): Annette Merjano, Concordia (Calif.); Lucy Baldovino, Concordia (Ore.)
Week 3 (April 1): Abbey Wilmes, Grand View (Iowa); Bree Crampton, Madonna (Mich.)
Week 4 (April 8): Alyssa Miller, Ottawa (Kan.); MacKenzie Bowden, William Woods (Mo.)
Week 5 (April 15): Kamara Trice, Freed-Hardeman (Tenn.); Virginia McAndrews, Olivet Nazarene (Ill.)
Week 6 (April 22): Raeven Clark, Oklahoma Baptist; Megan Nonnemacher, Saint Xavier (Ill.)
Week 7 (April 29): Janell Laront, Dickinson State (N.D.); Catie Flaucher, Mount Mercy (Iowa)
Week 8 (May 7): Cassidy Horner, Concordia (Ore.); MacKenzie Bowden, William Woods (Mo.)