PACWEST SOFTBALL WEEKLY NOTEBOOK
IRVINE, Calif. -- After moving up to No. 1 in the nation, Concordia split its four-game series with Hawai`i Pacific, which has the most wins in conference play of any PacWest team so far this season.
Callie Nunes earned her 11th and 12th wins of the season in the first game of each doubleheader, throwing a combined 14 innings with just one run on 14 hits allowed as she recorded 15 strikeouts. Nunes now leads the PacWest in wins this season.
Emilee Leonard got the win for the Sharks in the second game of the series with a one-run complete game. In the series finale, Sierra Dias executed an RBI sacrifice bunt for the go-ahead run in the top of the seventh inning for a 4-3 victory.
Earlier in the week, Biola won three of four games against Hawai`i Pacific and Holy Names and Chaminade split their four-game series. Hawai`i Hilo extended its winning streak to seven games after winning all four against Dominican. In the second doubleheader of the series, Vevsi Liilii went a combined 5 for 6 with three RBIs, three runs and a home run.
This week, Chaminade will be at Azusa Pacific, while Biola will host Hawai`i Hilo on Tuesday and Wednesday. Academy of Art will take its undefeated conference record on the road to face Holy Names on Saturday. Concordia will host a four-game series against Chaminade that starts on Friday. Hawai`i Pacific will wrap up its trip to California with a four-game series against Dominican at the start of the week.
Weekly awards based on week of March 11-17
PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Kayla Neff, Biola
C, Jr., 5-7 -- Huntington Beach, Calif.
Neff helped Biola win three of four games at home against Hawai`i Pacific to move into a tie for sixth place in the conference standings as she extended her hitting streak to six games. Neff went 8 for 11 on the week with six RBIs and four runs. The junior blasted two home runs and one double and got walked twice. In the second game of both doubleheaders, Neff tallied three hits for a combined 6-for-7 effort between the two games.
PITCHER OF THE WEEK
Paige Austin, Biola
P, So., 5-5 -- Los Alamitos, Calif.
Austin threw 15.1 innings with no earned runs allowed and picked up two wins to improve to 4-4 on the season. The sophomore recorded 12 strikeouts and threw two complete-game shutouts. Austin allowed only two hits in each shutout. She also threw 1.1 innings of relief with only one unearned run allowed on one with one strikeout and no walks. Austin brought her ERA down to 1.04 with 38 strikeouts in 47.1 innings pitched this season for the Eagles.
FRESHMAN OF THE WEEK
Marlisa Berrelleza, Chaminade
INF, Fr., 5-10 -- Indio, Calif.
Berrelleza helped Chaminade earn a split against Dominican to improve to 7-7 in conference play so far this season. The Silverswords won the second and fourth games and the freshman had a hit in both games. Berrelleza hit two home runs on the week for a total of three home runs so far in her collegiate career. She finished the week with three RBIs and two runs. Berrelleza is now batting .407 on the season, which is tied for the best batting average in the conference this season.