LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Louisville’s Sarah Gordon and UCLA’s Megan Faraimo captured the 2023 Division I Louisville Slugger/NFCA Player and Wilson/NFCA Pitcher of the Week honors. The duo is being recognized for their outstanding performances during the week of March 13-19.
Gordon had a big week at the plate, powering the Cardinal's four wins, including a three-game ACC sweep of Pitt. The freshman catcher hit .750 (9-for-12) with three doubles, two home runs, eight RBI and six runs scored. She slugged 1.500 and reached base at a .786 clip. Gordon drove in three runs twice in Louisville’s 5-4 and 9-6 triumphs over the Panthers. In the latter contest, her two-run single in the fifth put the Cards up for good. Earlier in the week, Gordon was 3-for-3 with a home run at Charlotte. Her other long ball came in game two versus Pitt.
Faraimo earned both wins against then-No. 10 Washington in the Pac-12 matchup. The senior hurler made three appearances and one start, posting a 0.00 ERA with 10 strikeouts and two walks over 13 innings of work. She twirled a two-hit complete game shutout to help the Bruins even the series in game two. In the finale, Faraimo tossed 4.2 innings of shutout ball with three punchouts during a 10-2 win. She added 1.1 innings of scoreless relief in the opener.
The Division I Louisville Slugger/NFCA Player and Wilson/NFCA Pitcher of the Week are voted on by the NFCA Division I Top 25 Poll Committee.
Selected Top Performances
Lexie Black, Penn State - .625, 8 H, 2 2B, 4 RBI, 2 BB, .700 OBP; Katelyn Caneda, Nebraska - .833, 10 H, 2 2B, 3B, 5 RBI, 1.167 SLG, .846 OBP; Jayda Coleman, Oklahoma - .600, 2 HR, 2 2B, 3B, 9 RBI; Brooke Gainous, Stephen F. Austin – 0.00 ERA, 9 K, BB, 20 IP, SV, no-hitter vs. Prairie View A&M; Bailey Parshall, Penn State – 2-0, 0.64 ERA, 14 K, 4 H, SHO, 14 IP; Aly Rayle, George Mason – 3-0, 0.44 ERA, 21 K, 4 BB, 16 IP; Sierra Sacco, Louisiana Tech - .545, 6 H, .647 OBP, 4 BB, 6 R, 2 RBI; Tyler Thornton, Utah State - .571, 2B, 2 HR, 2 RBI, 4 BB, .727 OBP, 1.143 SLG; Paige Vargas, North Dakota State – 2-0, 0.00 ERA, 15 K, BB, 14 IP.
Celebrating 40 years in 2023, the NFCA (National Fastpitch Coaches Association) is the professional organization for fastpitch softball coaches. Known for its highly-regarded Louisville Slugger/Player & Wilson/Pitcher of the Week awards, the NFCA also educates and supports softball coaches on a variety of different levels: from webinars to legal counsel, to in-person events and the National Convention.
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NFCA Division I Softball Player and Pitcher of the Week
