IRVINE, Calif. -- After one week of conference play, Biola has taken the early lead in the PacWest standings after earning a four-game sweep at home against Academy of Art to now have a five-game winning streak.
 
Biola’s offense was led by Jennifer Morinishi, who has recorded multiple hits in each game of the winning streak, while Paige Austin was credited with either a win or a save in each game of the series with the Urban Knigts. Biola is one of three PacWest teams with at least seven overall wins this season.
 
Hawai`i Pacific now has a four-game winning streak after sweeping doubleheaders against both British Columbia and Chaminade. In the second game against Chaminade, Cieana Curran capped off a productive week with a 3-for-4 performance with two runs scored.
 
Concordia has the longest active winning streak in the conference with six in a row. The Eagles swept a non-conference doubleheader against Azusa Pacific to improve to 8-1, which is the best overall record in the league. In the second game, Jordan Quinn pitched a one-hit shutout to earn her first win of the season.
 
Dominican and Holy Names also each won two games to start the conference season. The Hawks had swept a doubleheader against Notre Dame de Namur on Monday, and Dominican returned the favor on Sunday.
 
This week, Academy of Art will play a non-conference doubleheader at Sonoma State. Azusa Pacific and Concordia will both begin their trips through the Hawaiian Islands on Thursday. Biola will put its five-game winning streak to the test at home against Concordia (Ore.).
 
Weekly awards for the week of Feb. 17-23
 
PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Jennifer Morinishi, Biola
LHP/OF, So., 5-3 -- Cerritos, Calif.
Morinishi led Biola to a four-game sweep of Academy of Art to take first place in the PacWest standings after the first week of the conference season. Morinishi went 9 for 12 at the plate with four multi-hit games, seven RBIs, five runs and five doubles. In the series opener, Morinishi had two doubles, two walks, four RBIs and four runs scored. She increased her batting average on the season to .481 and now has a six-game hitting streak. She concluded the week by pitching a scoreless inning to earn a save.
 
PITCHER OF THE WEEK
Paige Austin, Biola
RHP, Jr., 5-5 -- Los Alamitos, Calif.
Austin played a key part in each of Biola’s four wins against Academy of Art as the junior pitcher recorded two wins and two saves with 19 strikeouts in 14 innings pitched. Austin didn’t allow a run in any of her first three outings in the series as she combined for eight innings pitched, 10 strikeouts, two hits and one walk. In the series finale, she threw six innings with nine strikeouts and allowed just two runs on four hits and one walk to record her fourth win of the season, putting her ERA for the year at 1.76.
 
FRESHMAN OF THE WEEK
Elizabeth Phillips, Azusa Pacific
RHP, Fr., 5-9 -- Hayward, Calif.
Phillips threw two complete games against the two finalist teams in last year’s NCAA West Regional. Against UC San Diego, she allowed just one earned run with a strikeout and seven innings pitched. On Saturday, she held Concordia to just one run on four hits in her second-consecutive complete game. The freshman recorded a career-high four strikeouts as she brought her ERA down to 3.39 on the season with 12 strikeouts in 31 innings pitched.