PACWEST SOFTBALL WEEKLY NOTEBOOK
IRVINE, Calif. -- Concordia won all seven of its games this week to grow its lead at the top of the PacWest standings with a five-game lead over Azusa Pacific.
Callie Nunes got the victory in all seven games to push her win total this season to 29 this season, which is only five away from the all-time PacWest record. The Eagles swept Holy Names to start the week and then won games against Dominican and Academy of Art.
Azusa Pacific swept Notre Dame de Namur this week to push its winning streak up to nine and move into second place in the PacWest standings. The Cougars shutout Notre Dame de Namur in each of the first three games of the series. The Cougars are now 21-8 in conference play.
Biola got seven wins this week, sweeping Dominican before winning three of four games against Notre Dame de Namur to improve to 18-8 in conference play. The Eagles got 15 base hits in the two series from
Kayla Neff, who returned to the top of the leaderboard in both batting average and on-base percentage.
In the first NCAA West Region rankings, Concordia was ranked No. 2, meaning the Eagles are currently in a position to host half of the NCAA West Regional tournament. Azusa Pacific is also in the playoff picture with a No. 5 ranking thanks in part to the doubleheader sweep of No. 1 UC San Diego. Hawai`i Hilo is just outside the playoff picture at No. 9 in the West Region.
Concordia will wrap up the season with doubleheaders against Biola and Azusa Pacific. The Eagles will clinch the conference title with two wins.
Weekly awards based on the week of April 15-21
CO-PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
Kayla Neff, Biola
C, Jr., 5-7 -- Huntington Beach, Calif.
Neff helped Biola to seven wins this week by recording six extra-base hits to help the Eagles improve to 18-8 in conference play this season. Neff had a hit in all of Biola’s eight games this week, including five multi-hit games finishing the week 15 for 30 with five RBIs and eight runs. Her best game came against Dominican when she went 3 for 5 with two doubles, two RBIs and a run scored. Neff is now the PacWest leader again in both batting average and on-base percentage, hitting .442 this season.
PITCHER OF THE WEEK
Callie Nunes, Concordia
P, So., 5-5 -- Modesto, Calif.
Nunes earned a victory in all seven of Concordia’s games last week. She threw 31.1 innings and struck out 40 batters to help the Eagles extend their winning streak to 11 games. Concordia is now 26-3 in the conference standings. Nunes now has 29 wins this season, which is just five away from the PacWest’s single-season record. She has a 1.23 ERA with 222 strikeouts in 175.2 innings pitched. She needs 80 more strikeouts for that PacWest record. Nunes allowed just one earned run in the seven outings.
FRESHMAN OF THE WEEK
Sydney Sprinkle, Concordia
C, Fr., 5-6 -- Palm Desert, Calif.
Sprinkle remained the PacWest leader in home runs this season after hitting two this week to push her freshman year total up to nine. She went 12 for 23 on the week with nine RBIs, three runs and three walks. In the first three games of the week, Sprinkle went 5 for 10 with eight RBIs against Holy Names, helping Concordia sweep the series. She had 18 total bases on the week, which was the third-most in the PacWest. She’s now batting .385 this season.