March 23, 2009
Co-Players of the Week:
Danielle Zymkowitz, Illinois
Sophomore Second Baseman
West Hills, Calif. - Chaminade College Prep
Second baseman Danielle Zymkowitz went nine for ten last week, batting .900 including a perfect eight-for-eight performance in Illinois' pair of conference wins over Penn State. Zymkowitz slugged 1.500 while recording five RBIs and seven runs during the three-game stretch. Against the Nittany Lions, Zymkowitz belted her second home run of the season and was three-for-three in stolen bases.
Kelly Dyer, Northwestern
Junior Outfielder
Homer Glen, Ill. - Lockport
Wildcat junior Kelly Dyer batted .800 in Northwestern's first series sweep over No. 8 Michigan since 2000, slugging a game-changing grand slam in the first contest before going a perfect 2-for-2 with a double against two-time defending Big Ten Pitcher of the Week Nikki Nemitz in the second game of the sweep. In game one with the score tied, 1-1, Dyer clubbed a two-out, two-strike pitch over the fence for her second-career grand slam and a 5-1 lead that proved pivotal in an eventual 6-5 win. The blast came off Jordan Taylor, who had only given up 15 earned runs on the entire season before Dyer's four ER blast. She then singled and doubled in the second game, leading her squad to a 2-1 victory.
Pitcher of the Week:
Briana Hassett, Minnesota
Senior Pitcher
Eagan, Minn. - Eastview
Briana Hassett was instrumental in Minnesota going 5-1 last week, starting five of the six games for the Gophers, and posting a record of 4-1 with a 0.81 earned run average. The senior right-hander had three complete games, including back-to-back shutouts of Indiana to help the Gophers open Big Ten play at 2-0 for the second-straight year. For the week, Hassett allowed just nine hits and an opponent batting average of .102, while striking out an amazing 52 batters in 26.0 innings pitched, averaging two strikeouts per inning. Hassett limited Indiana to three hits, while fanning 25 batters in 14.0 innings on the mound. For the season, Hassett has struck out a career-high 278 batters in just over 184 innings of work. She has already surpassed her 2008 total of 276 strikeouts just two games into the conference season. Hassett leads the Big Ten in wins, appearances, games started, complete games, shutouts, innings pitched, and strikeouts.
|
|
 |
