WWU’s Benson, UNG’s Smith garner 2019 Louisville Slugger/NFCA Division II weekly honors

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Western Washington’s Emily Benson and North Georgia’s Kylee Smith were named 2019 Louisville/Slugger NFCA Division II National Player and Pitcher of the Week honorees for games played March 25-31. 

Benson keyed the Vikings to a 7-1 week, which included an undefeated showing at the Tournament of Champions, by hitting .565 (13-for-23) with four doubles, five home runs, nine runs scored and 14 RBI. The West Richland, Wash. native drew seven free passes, posted a .656 on-base percentage and slugged 1.391. Benson left the yard twice against Simon Fraser and Sonoma State and also went 5-for-5 with two doubles, a home run and seven RBI versus Dominican (Calif.). Named tournament MVP, Benson hit .600 (9-for-15) with four doubles and nine RBI over five games. It is the second NFCA weekly nod for Benson, who took home player of the week honors in 2016.

Smith, who hails from Suwanee, Ga., posted a 3-0 mark and twirled 19 scoreless innings last week for the NightHawks. The junior righty recorded three shutouts, struck out 26, walked three and held her opponents to a .095 batting average. Smith fanned 14 in a two-hit shutout of Augusta. She tossed a one-hit blanking of Lander in a five-inning win. The Peach Belt Player of the Week also held Lee to three hits and struck out eight in a 3-0 win. It marks the first weekly award this season and the third in Smith’s career.

2019 Honorees
Date – Player / Pitcher
April 3 – Emily Benson, Western Washington / Kylee Smith, North Georgia
March 27 – Kelly Mix, Ohio Dominican / Mackenzie Ward, Minnesota State
March 20 – Courtney Barnhill, Angelo State / Madyson Barone, Southern New Hampshire
March 13- Bailey Byers, Malone University / Allison Lipovsky, Grand Valley State
March 6- Mary Collins, Trevecca Nazarene / Elisa Favela, Southern Arkansas
Feb. 27 – AnneMarie Torres, Colorado Mesa / Callie Nunes, Concordia Irvine
Feb. 20- Courtney Barnhill, Angelo State / Emily Otto, Texas A&M-Commerce
Feb. 13- Angelique Elemen, Fort Lewis / Caylie Van Auken, Valdosta State
Feb. 6 – Kaylie Upton, Oklahoma Christian / Victoria Taylor, Southern Arkansas

Selected Top Performances

Taylor Stocks, Shepherd– 3-0, 1.00 ERA, 28 K, 4 BB, .129 opp. BA, 18 IP, no-hitter vs. Millersville; Amber Elliott, Augustana– 3-0, 0.47 ERA, 25 K, 3 BB, .118 opp. BA, 15 IP; Cambrie Hazel, Dixie State– 2-0, 0.00 ERA, 25 K, 2 BB, 2 SHO, 12 IP; Kiara Akles, UAH– .636, 4 HR, 15 RBI, 1.727 SLG, no-hitter vs. West Georgia; Alison Nowak, Winona State– .600, 12 H, 2B, 5 HR, 8 R, 9 RBI; Jill Torres Young Harris– .700, 6 2B, 9 RBI, 1.000 SLG; Robyn Wampler, UC San Diego– 3-0, 0.46 ERA, 15 K, 3 BB, 15 IP; Alexa Samuels, Colorado Mesa– .615, 8 H, 2 2B, 3B, 3 HR, 11 RBI, 1.615 SLG; Jenna Witt, Concord– .591, 2 2B, 4 HR, 5 RBI, 9 R, 1.227 SLG, .609 OBP; Christine Carver, Coker– 2-0, 0.00 ERA, SHO, 12 K, BB, 4 H, 12 IP; Elisa Favela, Southern Arkansas– .524, 11 H, 2 2B, 3 HR, 10 R, 10 RBI, 3-0, 1.11 ERA, 31 K;  Sable Hankins- East Central– .500, 10 H, 2B, 6 HR, 11 R, 14 RBI, 1.450 SLG, .565 OBP; Ashley Meckley, Coker– .909, 2 2B, 3B, 2 HR, 3 R, 3 BB, 0 K; Lindzi Clemmer, Lubbock Christian– .562, 6 2B, HR, 7 RBI, 1.125 SLG, .600 OBP; Jordyn Kleman, Winona State– 4-0, SHO, 3R, 35 K, 23.2 IP; Tara Baney, Bloomsburg– 3-0, SV, 3 SHO, 21 K, .123 opp. BA, 21 IP; Melanie Abzun, Azusa Pacific– .478, 3 2B, 3B, 2 HR, 14 RBI, 6 R; Jordan Davis, Rollins– .750, 9 H, 3 R, 5-5 SB; Maddy Barone, Southern New Hampshire– 3-0, 26 K, 4 BB, 21 IP, 5-for-10, 4 RBI; Marissa Trezza, Georgian Court– .500, 4 HR, 10 RBI, 4 R.