LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Wayne State’s Lyndsay Butler and Western Washington’s Anna Kasnertook home this week’s Louisville Slugger / NFCA Division II National Player and Pitcher of the Week awards, respectively, for games played Feb. 27-March 5, announced the Association on Wednesday afternoon. For the rookie Kasner, it is her second honor this season, while it is Butler’s first of 2017 and second of her career.
Guiding the Warriors to a 5-0 showing last week at the Shaw Invitational, Butler hit .588 (10-for-17) with a double, three home runs and 11 RBI, while going 2-0 with a save. The Cambridge, Ont. native recorded .632 on-base and .1.176 slugging percentages, scored the first run of the game in the first four contests and registered the game-winning RBI versus Clarion in Wayne State’s final game of the tournament. Selected the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Player and Pitcher of the Week, she was also dominant in the circle, posting a 0.00 ERA (2R, 0 ER) with 25 strikeouts and no walks in 15.2 innings of work. A 2016 fall graduate with a psychology degree, Butler surrendered just five hits and held her opponents to a .113 batting average.
Kasner, a freshman from Milton, Wash., posted a 2-0 mark with a pair of complete-game shutouts. The right-handed hurler allowed just four hits and fanned 23 in 12 innings of work against Montana State Billings. In her first start of the week, she struck out 11 and only three batters reached base in a one-hit five-inning performance. At one point, she fanned eight consecutive batters. Kasner upped her strikeout total by one with 12 in a 5-0 win. She scattered three hits, walked three and was responsible for the first seven outs of the game via a strikeout.
Player of the Week
March 8 – Lyndsay Butler (Wayne State University)
March 1 – Ashley Hardin (West Texas A&M)
Feb. 22 – Erika Lutgen (Missouri Southern)
Feb. 15 – Abbey Walters (UNC Pembroke)
Feb. 8 – Tiffany Hollingsworth (Humboldt State)
Pitcher of the Week
March 8 – Anna Kasner (Western Washington)
March 1 – Kylee Smith (North Georgia)
Feb. 22 – Ally Marcano (Flagler)
Feb. 15 – Rachel Pence (Florida Tech)
Feb. 8 – Anna Kasner (Western Washington)
Selected Top Performances
Hannah Riddle, King University (Conference Carolinas Player of the Week)- .765, 13 H, , 5 2B, 3B, HR, 9 RBI, 1.353 SLG, .778 OBP; Laura Lawson, Mansfield (PSAC Central Player of the Week)- .526, 10 H, 5 2B, 3B, 2 HR, 9 RBI, 5 R; Hayley Freyman, Tarleton State (Lone Star Pitcher of the Week)- 3-0, 3 CG, SHO, 13 K, 5 ER vs. Top 10 teams; Paige Gann, Northeastern State (MIAA Hitter of the Week)- 6 H, 5 HR, 7 RBI, 6 R, 1.400 SLG, .571 OBP, 1.000 FLD (43 PO, 2A); Faith Flanders, Georgia College (Peach Belt Player of the Week)- .542, 4 2B HR, 7 RBI, .833 SLG, .577 OBP; Jane Trzaska, Armstrong State (Peach Belt Pitcher of the Week)- 2-0, 0.00 ERA, 1 R, 0 ER, 9 K, 15 IP; Cristi Pressley, Francis Marion- 3-0, 0.00 ERA, 6 K, .180 opp. BA, 17.2 IP; Nyka Wood, Tarleton State (Lone Star Player of the Week)- .500, 2 2B, HR, 6 RBI, .813 SLG, 0 K, hit walk-off 3-run HR vs. No. 3 St. Mary’s; Coley Ries, Minnesota State (Northern Sun Pitcher of the Week)- 2-0, 1.50 ERA, 33 K, 14 IP; Erin Powers, Felician (CACC Pitcher of the Week)- 2-0, 0.00 ERA, 2 R, 0 ER, SHO, 4 K, 0BB; Brooke Hodgson, Colorado Mesa (RMAC Player of the Week)- .800, 8 H, 2B, 3B, HR, 7 R, 4 RBI, 1.400 SLG; Sarah Kenley, Lenoir-Rhyne (SAC Player of the Week)- .571, 8 H, 2 2B, 3B, HR, 11 RBI, 1.071 SLG; Victoria Taylor, Southern Arkansas (GAC Pitcher of the Week)- 2-0, 0.64 ERA, 1 ER, 17 K, 4 BB, .108 opp. BA; Marina Duran, Southern Arkansas (GAC Player of the Week)- .643, 9 H, 2 2B, 2 HR, 1.214, 9 RBI, 7 R, .688 OBP; Katelyn Harden, Dominican (Calif.) (PacWest Pitcher of the Week)- 4-0, 0.36 ERA, 1 ER, 24 K, 25 IP.