KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association announced its first Softball Hitter and Pitcher of the Week award winners for the 2024 season.
MIAA Hitter of the Week – Heather Arnett, Pittsburg State
Heather Arnett helped lead the Gorillas to a perfect 6-0 start to the 2024 season at the Division II First Pitch Invitational in Conroe, Texas. Arnett opened the season with a .583 batting average and recorded an MIAA-leading 14 hits and 12 runs scored. She also added seven stolen bases and three triples. The Pittsburg native finished the tournament with three straight games having three hits in and recorded back-to-back games with a triple. Arnett stole a base in all but one game and had two games where she swiped two bags. Following opening weekend, Arnett leads the MIAA in hits (14), runs (12), stolen bases (7) and triples (3), and ranks fourth in slugging percentage (.750) while ranking fifth in batting average (.583) and OPS (1.458).
MIAA Pitcher of the Week – Sara Llamas-Howell, Rogers State
Sara Llamas-Howell went 1-1 in four starts and five appearances with a 0.72 ERA to start the season at the Division II First Pitch Invitational in Texas. In 19.1 innings pitched, the senior only allowed two earned runs with 19 strikeouts and two walks over five games. The senior right-handed pitcher earned her first win of the season in the 8-2 win over the Rattlers, scattering three hits with only one earned run and six strikeouts over a 4.0 inning start.
NOTABLE PERFORMANCES
Hitters
Lillie Filger – Northwest Missouri
Lillie Filger hit .619 with 13 hits and scored nine runs as Northwest Missouri went 3-2 in Arkansas to open the season. Filger recorded at hit in each of the five games, including multi-hit games in four of the five. She went 4-for-6 with three RBI in the Bearcats 15-6 win over Ouachita Baptist. She posted a 3-for-5 effort against Henderson State and went 3-for-4 with two runs and an RBI against Arkansas-Monticello. Filger ended the weekend by going 2-for-3 with two runs scored and a stolen base in an 11-3 win at Henderson State.
Taylor Nuckolls – Missouri Southern
Taylor Nuckolls started all five games for the Lions this weekend as Missouri Southern opened the season with a perfect 5-0 record. Nuckolls led the Lions in batting average (.471), hits (8), RBI (8) and total bases (13). Nuckolls was a crucial piece in the three run-rule victories over Southwestern Oklahoma State, Arkansas Monticello and Ouachita Baptist, and two wins over Henderson State at their facility.
Pitchers
Ava Laurent – Pittsburg State
Ava Laurent helped lead Pittsburg State to a perfect 6-0 start at the Division II First Pitch Invitational in Conroe, Texas. The Gorillas freshman ace from Nebraska went 2-0 in three appearances. In 15.1 innings pitched Laurent totaled 17 strikeouts and held opposing batters to a .264 average. She allowed four earned runs for a 1.83 ERA. Laurent began the season with six strikeouts in five innings against St. Marys (Texas) for her first win of the season. She then pitched 5.1 innings in relief against Texas Women’s, striking out six in the extra inning comeback win over the Pioneers. To conclude the opening tournament, Laurent pitched a five-inning complete game with five strikeouts in her second win of the season. Following the opening week of the season, Laurent is among MIAA ranks tied for second in strikeout (17) and wins (2), tied for fifth in strikeouts looking (4), seventh in innings pitched (15.1) and eighth in ERA (1.83).
Natalie Bates – Missouri Southern
Natalie Bates pitched 6.0 innings and picked up two wins this weekend in the Lions season opener tournament. Bates threw 2.1 innings, allowed one hit, and struck out one batter against Arkansas-Monticello in a 8-0 run-rule win. She picked up her first win of the season against Henderson State as a reliever, pitching 1.2 innings while allowing one hit and totaled one strikeout against four batters in the 6-5 extra inning victory. Bates then got her second win on the day against Ouachita Baptist, pitching 2.0 innings with four strikeouts and one hit against seven batters faced, resulting in a 13-0 run-rule win.
ALSO NOMINATED
Hitters: Hayley Bonython (Newman), Paxton Donaldson (Rogers State), Emily Sampson (Northeastern State), Ellington Hogle (Washburn)
Pitchers: Jaycee Ginter (Washburn), Madison Heinle (Northeastern State)
2024 MIAA SOFTBALL HITTERS OF THE WEEK
WEEK ONE: Heather Arnett – Pittsburg State
2024 MIAA SOFTBALL PITCHERS OF THE WEEK
WEEK ONE: Sara Llamas-Howell – Rogers State