Dixie State's Ashley McFarland, GCU's Kirsten Linert named PacWest Player, Pitcher of Week

PHOENIX, AZ – Dixie State senior SS Ashley McFarland and Grand Canyon junior hurler Kirsten Linert have been named the Pacific West Conference Player and Pitcher of the Week, respectively.

The PacWest announced the awards on March 7 from its office in Phoenix, AZ, for games contested Feb. 28 - March 6.

(March 7, 2011) - Player of the Week (Feb. 28 - March 6)...Ashley McFarland - Dixie State (Sr., 5-10, SS, R/R, Layton, UT/Layton)...led Red Storm to 4-0 sweep of NDNU to begin conference play...hit .500 in four starts by going 5 for 10 with seven runs scored, t wo home runs, three RBI and six walks...was 5 for 5 in stolen base attempts...had a .688 on-base average...posted a 1.100 slugging rate.

(March 7, 2011) - Pitcher of the Week (Feb. 28 - March 6)...Kirsten Linert - Grand Canyon (Jr., 5-2, P, L/R, Phoenix, AZ/Sandra Day O’Connor)...posted a 3-0 week with three complete-game shutouts in Hawai‘i...allowed just nine hits and five walks in 20 innings of action...struck out 22 batters and permitted a .127 batting average...allowed no extra-base hits and no runs at all - earned or unearned (0.00 ERA)...hit .462 in five games and four starts...was 6 for 13 with four runs, three doubles, one RBI, two walks and a sacrifice bunt...had a .692 slugging mark and a .533 on-base rate.

Weekly Report #5

PacWest Softball Weekly Top 10 Honor Roll

Genna Allen - Academy of Art (Jr., 5-7, IF, R/R, Thousand Oaks, CA/Thousand Oaks)...led the Urban Knights to a doubleheader sweep of Dominican (CA) on March 5 by hitting .571...went 4 for 7 with three runs scored, one home run, four RBI and a stolen base...had a 1.000 slugging percentage and a .571 on-base rate.

Alana Aweau - Academy of Art (Sr., 5-10, IF, L/R, Fairfield, CA/Armijo)...led the Urban Knights to a doubleheader sweep of Dominican (CA) on March 5 by hitting .600...went 3 for 5 with four runs scored, one home run, three RBI and a walk...had a 1.200 slugging percentage and a .667 on-base mark.

Allissa Castro - NDNU (Fr., 5-6, SS, L/R, Gilroy, CA/Gilroy)...despite a 0-4 weekend at Dixie State, hit .615 with four runs scored, four doubles, six RBI, two walks and two stolen bases...was 8 for 13 at the plate...posted a .667 on-base mark and a .923 slugging average.

Breanna Egge - Dixie State (Sr., 5-6, C, R/R, Las Vegas, NV/Centennial)...hit .357 in a 4-0 sweep of NDNU...was 5 for 14 with four runs scored, one double, two homers and six RBI...posted an .857 slugging rate and a .438 on-base average...walked twice.

Lauren Folta - Dixie State (Jr., 5-5, P, R/R, Erda, UT/Tooele)...earned a pair of victories vs. NDNU during the opening weekend of conference action...posted a 2-0 mark with a 2.55 ERA in two games and one start...claimed one win in relief...tossed a complete-game victory as well...struck out 10 in 11.0 innings of work...scattered nine hits and allowed just four earned runs.

Jaelle Judkins - Dixie State (So., 5-7, OF, L/L, St. George, UT/Dixie)...hit .500 in a 4-0 sweep of NDNU...was 7 for 14 with four runs scored, one double, one home run and four RBI...posted a .786 slugging rate and a .563 on-base average...stole three bases, walked once and reached on a HBP.

Brittnie Miller - Dixie State (Sr., 5-9, P, R/R, Moab, UT/Grand)...posted 2-0 record in a 4-0 weekend sweep of NDNU...had a 2.92 ERA with nine strikeouts...allowed five earned runs in 12.0 innings of action...tossed a pair of complete-game victories...also hit .357 in the series by going 5 for 14 with four runs scored, six RBI and three home runs...walked once and stole a base...had a 1.000 slugging rate and a .400 on-base average.

Breanne Patton - Hawai‘i Pacific (Jr., 5-7, P/1B, R/R, Ewa Beach, HI/Campbell)...tossed a complete-game shutout vs. Grand Canyon on March 1...allowed two hits in 7.0 innings of work while striking out seven...permitted a .087 batting average in the contest...also hit .667 in the doubleheader split vs. Grand Canyon on March 1...went 2 for 3 with two runs, a double and one RBI...also was hit by a pitch and dropped a sacrifice bunt.

Janae Reyes - NDNU (Jr., 5-4, OF, L/R, Porterville, CA/Monache)...despite a 0-4 weekend at Dixie State, hit .467...was 7 for 15 with five runs scored, one triple, one homer and one RBI...stole a base and had an .800 slugging average...recorded a .467 on-base mark.

Shalin Yamaguchi - Chaminade (Jr., 5-9, IF, R/R, Ewa Beach, HI/James Campbell)...batted .667 in doubleheader split with Grand Canyon on March 2...went 4 for 6 with a double and one RBI...had a sacrifice bunt...posted an .833 slugging rate and a .667 on-base mark.