LOUISVILLE, Ky. – SIU Edwardsville’s Haley Chambers’ perfect game and Weber State’s Sara Hingsberger’s productivity at the plate earned those student-athletes 2015 Louisville Slugger/NFCA Division I National Pitcher and Player of the Week honors, respectively, for games played over March 16-22.
Chambers, a native of Coatesville, Ind., put on a masterful performance in her final outing of the week against Ohio Valley Conference foe Morehead State. The junior lefty twirled a near perfect, perfect game striking out 20 of a possible 21 batters in a 1-0 road win.
“It not only means a lot to me, but to the coaching staff, the team, and to the school,” Chambers said. “Not only do they know my name now, they know who SIUE is. It puts us on the map, which I think is the most important thing that comes out of this.”
Selected the OVC Pitcher of the Week, Chambers struck out the first 17 batters of the game and after a fly ball to end the sixth, she calmly sent the final three batter back to the dugout on her own. Her career-high strikeout performance was one shy of the Div. I seven-inning record set in 1991 by Michele Granger of California.
“It really didn’t sink in until coach told me I was the National Pitcher of the Week,” continued Chambers. “I really didn’t think a lot of it (perfect game) after it happened. I think it finally clicked that I did something that doesn’t usually happen. It’s almost like a once-in-a-lifetime kind of achievement.
For the week, Chambers was 3-0 with a 0.76 ERA, allowing two runs on 11 hits with 37 strikeouts and two walks in 18.1 innings of work. After picking up a win in relief against in-state foe Bradley (4.1 IP, 4K), she posted a complete game four-hitter with 13 strikeouts in a 5-1 win over Eastern Kentucky. It was her second perfect game and fourth no-hitter of her collegiate career.
“Obviously, it’s a great award for Haley,” said SIUE head coach Sandy Montgomery. “She has worked hard as a pitcher and has made a lot of strides this year from a command standpoint and her presence on the mound. I think this award is a direct reflection of that. What it means to our program is national recognition for a mid-major. I think that’s huge from a recruiting standpoint. I think it’s great for our kids and our institution to be on the national map in whatever capacity. What a better way to do it than for one of your players to get an honor even if it is just for a week.”
Montgomery on the perfect game – “I told Haley after the game that I have been involved in many perfect games in my lifetime as a player and as a coach and none was as mind-boggling as this one. To get 20 strikeouts in a game and be virtually unhittable shows the tremendous focus that she had at that moment in time. Everybody on the team knew what was going on. I think our team was extremely excited for her and certainly excited to be a part of it.”
Hingsberger was 10-for-14 (.714) at the plate with nine runs scored and seven RBI helping Weber State post a 5-0 week, including a three-game sweep in a Big Sky Conference-opening against North Dakota. The Eagle, Idaho native recorded four doubles and a home run, and scored the game-winning run in two of the Wildcats’ wins, which also catapulted her to a Big Sky Player of the Week honor.
“The biggest thing I focused on was trusting myself and having fun,” said Hingsberger. “Whenever I would start thinking too much about an at-bat or what the pitcher is throwing, I’d just stop and tell myself to have fun. “On Wednesday, before our games against UVU, Coach Amicone told me not to worry about mechanics and just have fun, and it really stuck. I couldn’t be happier with how our team has been performing. It’s a great feeling to know you have an entire team to back each other up.”
Posting a .778 on base percentage, Hingsberger, who also walked three times and was plunked, reached base safely in 14-of-18 plate appearances and did not strike out. In addition, she slugged 1.214, scored twice in four games and recorded four multi-hit contests. The sophomore right fielder was a week-best 3-for-4 with a double, two RBI and two runs scored in game two versus UND and closed out the week with two doubles and three RBI in the series finale. Her long ball came in the Wildcats’ first game of the week at Utah Valley State.
“Sara is a tremendous competitor,” commented Weber State head coach Mary Kay Amicone. “This week she really lit a fire under all of us. Her determination and athleticism are top notch. We are really proud of her.”
Player of the Week
March 24 – Sara Hingsberger (Weber State)
March 17 – Bianka Bell (LSU)
– Shelby Pendley (Oklahoma)
March 10 – Kacie Burnett (Idaho State)
March 3 – A.J. Andrews (LSU)
Feb. 24 – Jenna Lilley (Oregon)
Feb. 17 – Lauren Haeger (Florida)
Feb. 10 – Lindsey Stephens (Texas)
Pitcher of the Week
March 24 – Haley Chambers (SIU Edwardsville)
March 17 – Ally Carda (UCLA)
March 10 – Ally Carda (UCLA)
March 3 – Delanie Gourley (Florida)
Feb. 24 – Cheridan Hawkins (Oregon)
Feb. 17 – Shelby Turnier (UCF)
Feb. 10 – Miranda Kramer (Western Kentucky)
Selected Top Performances
LSU’s Bianka Bell batted .700 (7-10) with a double, three home runs, nine RBI and a 1.700 slugging percentage to garner her second straight SEC Player of the Week recognition… UCF’s Shelby Turnier earned American Pitcher of the Week plaudits as she tossed a no-hitter and one-hit shutout with 27 strikeouts in two complete-game wins over league rival East Carolina… Louisiana-Lafayette’s Lexie Elkins batted .529 (9-17) with two doubles, three home runs, eight RBI, six runs and did not strikeout in 21 plate appearances to garner Sun Belt Player of the Week honors…James Madison Megan Good was 3-0 with a 0.00 ERA and 20 strikeouts in 20 innings of work to grab CAA Freshman of the Week accolades… Georgia’s Chelsea Wilkinson was tabbed SEC Pitcher of the Week with a perfect 3-0 record, 18 strikeouts and a 0.50 ERA, and was part of a combined no-hitter versus Georgia Tech… Louisville’s Kelsi Jones collected ACC Player of the Week recognition after batting .556 (10-18) with a double, home run, six RBI, six runs and a .692 OBP (8 walks)… In her lone start, LSU Carley Hoover limited the nation’s top hitting team, Oklahoma to just two hits and three total base runners to earn a complete-game shutout and SEC Freshman of the Week honors… Manhattan’s Elena Bowman smacked five home runs, knocked in 12, scored nine times and posted a .552 OBP to garner Metro Atlantic and ECAC Player of the Week honors… CAA Pitcher of the Week, Morgan Lashley of Hofstra, was 3-0, struck out 20 and did not allow a run in 20 innings… Western Kentucky’s Miranda Kramer, theConference USA Pitcher of the Week, was 2-0 with a 1.00 ERA, a two-hit shutout at then-No. 14 Tennessee, and 30 strikeouts, while holding opponents to a 0.95 batting average in 14 innings… Southern Illinois’ Merri Anne Patterson slugged two game-winning home runs and finished the week batting .462 (6-13) with three long balls, seven RBI and five runs scored on her way to Missouri Valley Player of the Week honors… Big South Pitcher of the Week, Kensley Loudermelk of Presbyterian, was 3-0 with a 0.00 ERA, two shutouts and 17 strikeouts in 16 innings of work… Arizona’s Katiyana Mauga batted .533 (8-15) with a double, four home runs, 10 RBI and five runs scored…Co-CAA Player of the Week, Lisa Stacevicz of Delaware, batted .611 (11-18) with seven doubles and seven RBI… Omaha’s Jaylee Hinrichs earned Summit League Pitcher of the Week honors after tossing two one-hit shutouts with 12 strikeouts in 11 innings of work… Big East Player of the Week, Kristen Boros of Butler, batted .556 (10-18) with a triple, three home runs, 10 RBI… MEAC Player of the Week, Emerie Germ of North Carolina Central, batted .562 (18-32) with four doubles, two home runs, seven RBI and 11 runs… Longwood’s Emily Murphy blasted five home runs, two multi-homer games, with nine runs and seven RBI to take home Big South Player of the Week honors… Marshall’s Shaelynn Braxton earned Conference USA Player of the Week recognition after batting .500 (6-12) with a grand slam and nine RBI.