[2023 MIAA Softball Athletes of the Week: Week 1, Week 2, Week 3, Week 4]

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletes Association announced its Softball Athletes of the Week for the fifth week of the 2023 season.
 
MIAA Hitter of the Week – Savannah Evans – Northeastern State  
Savannah Evans recorded four multi-hit games for the RiverHawks last weekend as Northeastern State went 3-1 at the Drury Invitational. The junior pitcher/first baseman batted .692 at the plate with four homers. In the RiverHawks’ 15-10 win over Augustana, Evans had a grand slam and totaled six RBI while also pitching a complete game win over the preseason pick to win the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC). Evans also slugged 1.692 at the plate and scored five runs against the Vikings. She also spun a complete game win and didn’t give up an earned run in NSU’s 7-1 victory over Evangel.
 
MIAA Pitcher of the Week – Sara Llamas-Howell – Rogers State    
Sara Llamas-Howell was dominant in the circle this weekend at The Spring Games in Florida, going 3-0 with a save. In the Hillcats 1-0 win over California (Pa.) the senior worked a complete game shutout, only allowing one hit with a season-high 12 strikeouts. In the 3-0 win over Winona State, she again earned the complete game shutout, allowing just two hits with seven strikeouts. Llamas-Howell earned her third win of the weekend coming out of the bullpen against Northwood, working the final 3.0 innings only allowing two hits with two strikeouts as RSU claimed a 2-0 victory in eight innings. She earned her first save of the season in the Hillcats 3-1 win against St. Cloud State, working the final 2.1 innings without allowing a run and only two hits with five strikeouts.
 
NOTABLE PERFORMANCES
Hitters
Emily Deramus – Central Oklahoma
Emily Deramus helped lead Central Oklahoma to an undefeated 6-0 week, with the Bronchos sweeping a home doubleheader before going 4-0 at the Drury Classic. The freshman shortstop hit .478 with 11 hits in 23 at bat in the six games. She totaled four doubles, one triple, one home run, seven RBI and six runs scored in finishing with a .869 slugging percentage.
 
Paige Robbins – Washburn
Paige Robbins led the Ichabod offense last week batting .455 with 10 hits, two triples, three RBI, and seven runs scored as Washburn went 6-0 at The Spring Games in Clermont, Fla. In the Ichabods’ 9-2 win over Bridgeport, Robbins was 2-of-5 with two triples, two RBI, and scored one run.
 
Ashlyn Cook – Central Missouri
Ashlyn Cook helped the Jennies to a perfect 4-0 record this past weekend at the MIAA/GLVC Crossover. The redshirt senior outfielder ended the weekend with a .461 batting average while totaling nine RBI and two extra base-hits.
 
Pitchers
Jaycee Ginter – Washburn
Jaycee Ginter went 3-0 with a save in six appearances last week as the Ichabods went 6-0 in The Spring Games in Clermont, Fla. The junior had three complete games and a 0.61 ERA and 24 strikeouts in 23 innings pitched. She allowed just three runs, two earned, in that time with four walks. In the Ichabods 4-1 win over California University-Pennsylvania, Ginter tossed a seven-inning complete game, allowing just one unearned run on four hits and a walk while striking out eight.
 
Savanah Egger – Fort Hays State
Egger ran her scoreless innings streak to 32 innings before the string was finally snapped in the seventh inning of her start against Northwestern Oklahoma State. She pitched her fourth-consecutive complete-game shutout at William Jewell this past Saturday. In the victory against the Cardinals, Egger struck out six and scattered six hits in a 2-0 win. She now leads the MIAA in shutouts with four, all accumulated during her scoreless innings streak. Egger had 31 strikeouts during the 32-inning scoreless streak. She struck out five in a tough-luck eight-inning loss to Northwestern Oklahoma State, throwing another complete game.
 
ALSO NOMINATED
Hitters: Jaylan Gibson (Rogers State), Lilliana Ramirez-Johnson (Fort Hays State), Abbie Gaube (Nebraska Kearney), Abby DeSanto (Missouri Southern), Taylor Lambert (Pittsburg State)
 
Pitchers: Jordyn Pipkin (Central Oklahoma), Andi Siebeneck (Central Missouri)