2022 MIAA Softball Athletes of the Week: Week 1, Week 2, Week 3 

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The MIAA announced its fourth Softball Athletes of the Week, presented by Mammoth Turf, for the 2022 season. Northeastern State’s Sydney Balderrama was named the Hitter of the Week while Pittsburg State’s Hannah Harrison and Washburn’s Jaycee Ginter share this week’s Pitcher of the Week honor.
 
MIAA Hitter of the Week – Sydney Balderrama – Northeastern State
Sydney Balderrama had a hit in all six of her at-bats while also adding a walk for the RiverHawks in their Sunday sweep over Midwestern State. The fifth-year senior slugged 1.667 with a homer and a double, batting 1.000. She hit a three-run homer to start a five-run inning for the RiverHawks in an 8-5 win in the nightcap.
 
Co-MIAA Pitcher of the Week – Hannah Harrison – Pittsburg State
Hannah Harrison pitched a pair of shutouts this past weekend, including a no-hitter to help lead Pittsburg State to a 2-2 record at the Washburn Invitational. The Moore, Okla., native tossed a no-hitter in the Gorillas 12-0 victory over Southwest Minnesota State. She retired the final 15 batters she faced after issuing a leadoff walk to start the game. Harrison fanned eight batters in 5.0 innings of work. Against Wayne State, Harrison limited the Wildcats to four hits in a 6-0 victory for the Gorillas. She walked none and struck out seven batters. For the week, Harrison was 2-0 with a 0.00 ERA, one walk and 15 strikeouts in 12.0 innings of work.
 
Co-MIAA Pitcher of the Week – Jaycee Ginter – Washburn  
Jaycee Ginter was 5-0 with a 0.93 ERA in five appearances as the Ichabods went 6-0 last week. Ginter tossed 22 2/3 innings, striking out 36 batters to hold opponents to a .202 batting average. Ginter tossed two complete games and one shutout. She also batted .333 for the week with two home runs and a .933 slugging percentage driving in five scoring five times. The sophomore had a career high 12 strikeouts in the Ichabods first game of the week in a 7-0 win over Quincy.
 
NOTABLE PERFORMANCES
Hitters
Chloe Olsen – Lincoln
Chloe Olsen helped Lincoln open its home slate with an undefeated record of 7-0. On the opening week, Olsen totaled 10 hits and 11 RBI. The sophomore, who had three multiple hit performances, hit two triples and scored six runs. For the week, she posted a .750 on-base percentage and a .933 slugging percentage.
 
Ashton Friend – Washburn
Ashton Friend hit .471 with nine runs scored, three home runs while driving in 10 runs in six games as the Ichabods won all six of their contests last week. Friend also added two doubles and scored nine times going 8-of-17 at the plate and walked once with one strikeout. The senior drove in three runs against Sioux Falls and scored twice. Against Minnesota Crookston, Friend drove in three and scored twice. She also scored at least two runs in four of the six games the Ichabods played last week.
 
Pitchers
Jordan Galliher did not allow a single run, earned or otherwise, in a pair of shutout victories this week. Against NCAA Division I opponent Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Monday, Galliher struck out 10 batters and allowed only two hits to pitch Lincoln to a 3-0 win. In four innings of a 13-0 win over Kentucky State, Galliher helped Lincoln post a no-hitter as she received credit for a combined shutout. Galliher struck out 16 batters for the week.
 
Josie Harrison – Emporia State
Josie Harrison went 1-0 with a save and a 0.00 ERA in three appearances in the circle last week. She has not allowed a hit in her last 9.0 innings of work. She tossed a complete game one hit shutout in the Hornets 4-0 win over UMSL on Monday, striking out seven. She did not allow a hit in 2.2 innings of relief in ESU’s 13-2 win over Wayne St. Harrison ran her hitless string to 9.0 innings with 3.0 no hit innings against St. Cloud State. She came in with the Hornets down 7-1 in the fifth and the only run that scored against her came as the result of a walk, two ground outs and error. The run scored before the final out was made on the play involving the error. She also hit .333 with eight RBI during the week.
 
ALSO NOMINATED
Hitters: Josie Harrison – Emporia State, Madison Pierce – Fort Hays State, Madison Szymanski – Pittsburg State
Pitchers: Savanah Egger – Fort Hays State, Breck Dickey – Northwest Missouri, Kelsey Goodban – Nebraska Kearney