PROVIDENCE, R.I. – The American Athletic Conference has announced the winners of the league’s weekly softball honors for the week of April 2-8.
AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Arielle James · So. · INF · Houston
James hit .667 with four multi-hit games for Houston last week, notching a double and four RBI for the Cougars, who went 2-2 with a midweek victory over Houston and an American Conference win at USF. She recorded a pair of three-hit games against the Bulls, driving in three runs in the series finale on Sunday morning. James added two stolen bases to her stat line and scored three times for the Cougars.
AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE PITCHER OF THE WEEK
Katie Koshes · So. · RHP · UConn
Koshes made three appearances against UCF last weekend, one as a reliever and two as a starter, posting a 2-0 record and 1.05 ERA in two complete game wins. She struck out 22 batters and walked eight in 13.1 innings of work, scattering just six total hits and allowing only two earned runs (four total) in her three outings. Koshes recorded 11 strikeouts in an 11-3 win over UCF on Saturday and followed that up with eight strikeouts on Sunday as the Huskies took two of the three games in the series.
WEEKLY HONOR ROLL
Emily Watson · Sr. · RHP · Tulsa
Watson went 3-0 with a 1.67 ERA and 26 strikeouts in 21 innings last week for the Golden Hurricane. The senior started the week with nine strikeouts and no earned runs in a win at Oklahoma State and then struck out 11 in the series opener against Wichita State before adding another six strikeouts in the series finale.
Astin Donovan · Sr. · OF · USF
Donovan recorded her 200th career hit over the weekend, one of the deciding factors in USF’s 3-2 win over Houston. She leads the Bulls with a .364 average this season, and is one of just 14 Bulls in USF Softball history to reach the 200 hit mark. This week, Donovan had a .500 average, a .500 on base percentage and a .600 slugging percentage, collecting a double and a pair of RBI, along with a stolen base.
Shelby Estocado · Sr. ·INF · Tulsa
Estocado helped Tulsa go 3-1 last week by hitting .357 with two doubles, a homer and seven RBI, with an extra-base hit in three of the four contests during the week. She started the week with a pair of hits, including a double, with two RBI in Tulsa’s win at Oklahoma State. Estocado homered and drove in three runs in the series opener against Wichita State and had a pair of hits and two RBI in game two of the set.
Cassady Brewer · Jr. · INF · UCF
Brewer compiled a .600 batting average over four games last week, as she led the Knights past No. 4 Florida going 3-for-3 and driving in the lone run of the game. In American play, Brewer blasted two home runs against UConn to finish the week with a 1.400 slugging percentage, 14 total bases, and six RBI.
Chloe Kerns · So. · C · UConn
Kerns hit .714 in three games this week with a homer, four RBI and two runs scored, recording a hit in each her first five at-bats of the weekend. She went 4-for-4 at the plate during Saturday's doubleheader against UCF, including a 3-for-3, three RBI performance in game two's 11-3 win. Kerns followed that with a solo home run, her first of the season, in UConn’s 5-1 win on Sunday.