2022 MIAA Softball Athletes of the Week: Week 1, Week 2, Week 3, Week 4, Week 5, Week 6, Week 7

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The MIAA announced its eighth Softball Athletes of the Week, presented by Mammoth Turf, for the 2022 season. Central Oklahoma’s Shayla Harper was selected as the MIAA Hitter of the Week and Washburn’s Jaycee Ginter was selected as the MIAA Pitcher of the Week.
 
MIAA Hitter of the Week – Shayla Harper – Central Oklahoma
Shayla Harper had a fantastic week at the plate, hitting .571 (8-for-14) with two triples, one double and seven RBI as Central Oklahoma went 3-1 against league rivals Northwest Missouri and Missouri Western. The junior third baseman posted a .929 slugging percentage, a .625 on-base percentage and scored four runs in the Bronchos last four games. Harper tied a school record with two triples and added three RBI in UCO’s 12-2 rout of Northwest Missouri in game two, then went 3-for-3 with the game-winning RBI in a 5-4 second-game victory over Missouri Western.
 
MIAA Pitcher of the Week – Jaycee Ginter – Washburn    
Jaycee Ginter had three of Washburn’s four wins in the circle as she was 3-0 with a 1.35 earned runs average, striking out 28 in 20 2/3 innings pitched. In the opener against Lincoln, Ginter she allowed one hit to the Blue Tigers striking out 10 allowing one earned run. In the opener with Central Missouri, Ginter struck out eight in the complete game allowing two earned runs. After Washburn’s starting pitcher pitched the first 5 1/3 innings of the game, Ginter came in and pitched 6 2/3 inning picking up her nation-leading 17th win striking out 10 in relief with no walks in the 5-3 win. Overall, Ginter struck out 28 while walking only three. She also batted .412 driving in six with three doubles and scored four runs recording a .588 slugging percentage. This is Ginter’s third MIAA Pitcher of the Week honor this season.
 
NOTABLE PERFORMANCES
Hitters
Marrit Mead – Washburn
Marrit Mead led the Ichabods with a .471 batting average and a team-leading eight hits while scoring four runs and driving in four runs with a .500 on base percentage and a .706 slugging percentage. The sophomore third baseman had one double in each of the four games and had four hits in the Ichabods’ second game win over the Jennies.
 
Elexis Watson – Rogers State
Elexis Watson led the No. 4 Hillcats to a 6-0 week with sweeps over Southwestern Oklahoma State, Pittsburg State and Missouri Southern. In total, she went 5-for-14 (.357) at the plate with four RBI and three home runs. In the first game against Missouri Southern, the senior first baseman was the difference maker as she launched a solo home run in the fifth inning for the game’s only run. She struck again in the second game, with a towering, two-run blast to give RSU a 5-2 lead.
 
Maddy Broxterman – Emporia State
Maddy Broxterman hit .533 with an OPS of 1.296 as the Hornets went 4-0 last week. The senior finished 1-for-3 with a double, a walk and a run scored in Emporia State’s 8-3 win at Lincoln, then went 2-for-4 with two runs and an RBI in the Hornets 7-2 win over the Blue Tigers. Broxterman was 2-for-4 with a double and a run scored in ESU’s 5-2 win in game one at Central Missouri. She capped the week going 3-for-4 with a double, run scored and an RBI in the 5-2 win over the Jennies in the night cap. She has reached base in ten straight games and raised her batting average 56 points during the streak.
 
Hailey Schaneman – Nebraska Kearney
Hailey Schaneman went a combined 5-for-8 (.625) with a run and RBI as Nebraska Kearney swept Fort Hays State and pushed its win streak to 11 in a row. That is the longest such streak in 23 years for the Lopers.
 
Pitchers
Andrea Morales – Rogers State
Andrea Morales continued to her dominant streak in the circle going 2-0 with two complete games, 15.0 innings pitched, 17 strikeouts and only allowing two runs on five hits. In the eight-inning affair in game one against Pittsburg State, the senior went the distance with eight strike outs, only allowing two runs in the 3-2 win. Against Missouri Southern, the El Paso, Texas native was nearly untouchable as she earned the complete game shutout with nine strikeouts and allowed only one hit in the first inning. Morales currently leads the MIAA with a 1.44 ERA with opponents only hitting a conference low .176 against her.
 
Gracie Rabe – Emporia State
Gracie Rabe tossed a complete game at Central Missouri, allowing two runs, one earned, on five hits with seven strikeouts.
 
Gail Young – Northeastern State
Gail Young spun Northeastern State’s first no-hitter since 2007, striking out six and not allowing a walk against the Gorillas. An error in the fifth prevented the perfect game bid and it was the lone base runner for Pitt State. For the weekend, batters hit .143 against Young while the fifth-year senior struck out nine total.
 
ALSO NOMINATED
Hitters: Alyssia Crick – Northeaster State, Madison Peirce – Fort Hays State, Sydni Hawkins – Missouri Western
Pitters: Sydney Thomason – Nebraska Kearney, Aidan Dayberry – Lincoln