LOUISVILLE, Ky. –Rollins’ Chelsea Peace and Texas A&M International’s Erika Cortez were named Louisville Slugger / NFCA Player of the Week and Wilson / NFCA Pitcher of the Week, respectively. They were recognized for their outstanding performances in contests played during the week of March 15-21.
Peace was pivotal in the fifth-ranked Tars’ four-game sweep of Sunshine State Conference foe Lynn University. The Orlando, Fla. native posted a .545 (6-for-11) batting average with a double, three home runs, nine RBI and a 1.455 slugging percentage. She drew three walks, did not strike out in 14 plate appearances and reached base at an .818 clip. Peace was also solid defensively behind the plate and at the hot corner. She did not commit a miscue in 23 attempts.
In game four, Peace roped a bases loaded double that tied the game at four-all and then scooted home with the game-winner in the bottom of the seventh to complete the comeback and series sweep. She homered and drove in two runs in each of the first three contests and scored once each game.
Over two starts, Cortez was 2-0 with a 0.58 ERA and 14 strikeouts in 12 innings of work. She surrendered a run on three hits, walked one and held her opposition to a .078 batting average. The sophomore hurler recorded the program’s first-ever perfect game in a five-inning outing against Eastern New Mexico. Cortez fanned nine of the 15 Greyhound batters she faced. In her first start of the Week, the Rio Hondo, Texas native limited the high-powered West Texas A&M offense to one run and three hits in a complete-game effort. Cortez struck out five and walked one helping the Dustdevils to a win over the then-No. 18 Lady Buffs.
Selected Top Performances
Hannah Beeler, Shepherd - .900 (9-for-10), 2 2B, 5 RBI, 6 R, 2 SB, 1.200 SLG, .917 OBP; Keeilei Garcia, Angelo State - .750, 2B, 2 HR, 14 RBI, 1.333 SLG, .769 OBP; Ashley Worrell, Rollins - .800, 3 HR, 5 RBI, .800 OBP, 1.400 SLG / 3-0, 0.93 ERA, 2 BB, 7 K; Morgan Perry, Saint Anselm – 1-0, SHO, 16 K, no-hitter vs. New Haven; Rebecca Gonzales, MSU Denver - .733 (11-for-15), 2 2B, 3B, 5 RBI, 6 R, 1.000 SLG, .778 OBP; Maxine Valdez, Lubbock Christian – 2-0, 0.00 ERA, 18 K, 3 BB, 11 IP, .057 opp. BA; Briana Arredondo, TAMIU - .615, 2B, 5 HR, 14 RBI, 6 R; Samantha Richards, Valdosta State – 3-0, 0.00 ERA, SHO, 32 K, 3 BB, 6 H; Carissa Della Vecchia, St. Thomas Aquinas – 1-0, 0.00 ERA, 16 K, BB, 7 IP / HR, RBI .800 SLG; Kira Doan, Western Washington – 2-0, 0.00 ERA, 2 SHO, 14 K, 3 BB; Alyssa LeBlanc, A&M-Commerce – 2-0, 0.00 ERA, 2 SHO, 17 K, BB, 12 IP; Nicole Christensen, Colorado Mesa - .583, 3 HR, 10 RBI, 1.333 SLG, .615 OBP.
