GVSU's Taylor and AU's Knerem Chosen As GLIAC Softball "Player of the Week" and "Pitcher of the Week", respectively

Posted: Mar 13, 2012

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BAY CITY, Mich. - Grand Valley State University sophomore infielder Briauna Taylor (Livonia, Mich./Franklin) and Ashland University senior pitcher Emlyn Knerem (Brunswick, Ohio) have been chosen as the GLIAC Softball "Player of the Week" and "Pitcher of the Week", respectively.

GLIAC Softball Player of the Week:
Briauna Taylor
Grand Valley State
5-9, Sophomore, Infielder
Livonia, Mich./Franklin

Briauna Taylor had a tremendous opening week at the NTC Spring Games in Clermont, Fla., as she led the #21 Lakers to an 11-1 record. Taylor hit .514 with a .973 slugging percentage, totaling 19 hits, 10 runs, four triples, three home runs, and 16 RBI. Taylor had seven multi-hit games and five games of at least two RBI. She recorded three games with three hits and tallied at least three RBI in each of those contests.

Softball Player Weekly Honor Roll: Frankie Gironda - AU; Tori Allen - UF; Makenzi Peterson - FS; Amanda Maxon - LS; Alex Cribari - OD; Ashley Coffin - SV; Alison Allen - WS.

2012 "Players of the Week": (3/13) Briauna Taylor - GV.

GLIAC Softball Pitcher of the Week:
Emlyn Knerem
Ashland
5-8, Senior, Pitcher
Brunswick, Ohio

Emlyn Knerem went 7-0 on Ashland’s Florida trip playing in the Rebel Spring Games in Kissimmee, Fla. Currently she has a 10-0 record on the season. Knerem totaled three shutouts on the spring trip including a five-hit complete game shutout to defeat 16th-ranked C.W. Post, 5-0. Against Edinboro, she entered the game in relief and faced nine batters and struck out all nine. Hitters had a .174 batting average against Knerem in Florida.

Softball Pitcher Weekly Honor Roll: Julia Stadler - UF; Dana Bowler - FS; Hannah Santora - GV; Rachael Stanzel - OD; Alexa Gehrls - SV.

2012 "Pitchers of the Week": (3/13) Emlyn Knerem - AU.

Ashland Eagles

The Eagles went 9-3 on their spring trip to Florida. Ashland ended the trip on a five-game winning streak…senior pitcher Emlyn Knerem (Brunswick, Ohio) was 7-0 on the trip with six complete games. Knerem hurled a complete-game five-hitter against nationally-ranked C.W. Post…freshman outfielder Taylor Menhart (Twinsburg, Ohio) is off to a good start, she leads the team with 12 RBI. Junior first baseman Frankie Gironda (Akron, Ohio/Hoban) has driven in 10 runs. Gironda hit .303 on the spring trip.

Ferris State Bulldogs

The Ferris State University softball team started off its 2012 campaign by posting a 6-8 mark on its annual trip to Florida for the Florida Rebel Spring Games Tournament last week in Kissimmee, Fla. The Bulldogs played 13 games in a eight-day period with the non-conference contests held at the Osceola County Softball Complex, Fortune Road Athletic Complex, and Oren Brown Park. Senior third baseman Makenzi Peterson posted a squad-best .367 batting average in 14 games during FSU’s annual spring trip to the Florida Rebel Spring Games in Kissimmee, Fla. Peterson compiled 18 hits and scored 10 runs while driving in six as the Bulldogs posted a 6-8 mark. She had a .449 slugging percentage and tallied two doubles with a triple in 22 at-bats. Three Bulldog players hit .300 or better on the trip, including Peterson, Amy Dunleavy (.333) and first baseman Chelsea Morris (.317). FSU pitcher Dana Bowler started seven games in the circle and pitched a squad-high 48 innings on the trip. The Bulldogs return to Big Rapids for a scheduled non-league home opening doubleheader versus Aquinas on March 19 at the FSU Softball Field.

Findlay Oilers

The Oilers went 4-3 on their spring trip and were led by Tori Allen, who hit .522 with six doubles, one home run and five runs-batted-in. She had 12 hits and also scored seven runs during the stretch. Brittany Dauterman hit two home runs and drove in a team-high seven runs during the trip as well.

Grand Valley State Lakers

Grand Valley State went 11-1 at the NTC Spring Games in Clermont, Fla., as the Lakers won their first nine games. GVSU outscored its opponents 84-23, owned a team batting average of .355, and the pitchers sported an earned run average of 1.08. The Lakers totaled 31 extra-base hits (19 doubles, seven triples, five homers) in 12 games, while their opponents combined for just nine extra-base hits (all doubles)…sophomore shortstop Briauna Taylor (Livonia, Mich./Livonia Franklin) hit .514 with a .973 slugging percentage, as she recorded four triples, three homers, and 16 RBI. Junior centerfielder Nellie Kosola (Frankfort, Ill./Lincoln Way East) owned a team-high .524 batting average, while also leading the team in runs (17) and hits (22). Kosola reached base in all 12 games, tallied six multi-hit contests (including a pair of four-hit games), and scored two or more runs in six games…the Laker pitching was tremendous, as junior Hannah Santora (Carol Stream, Ill./Glenbard North) was 4-0 with a 0.48 ERA and allowed only two earned runs and 13 hits in 29.0 innings. Senior Andrea Nicholson (Avon Lake, Ohio) was 5-1 with a 1.32 ERA and gave up just seven earned runs in 37.0 innings.

Hillsdale Chargers

The Hillsdale College softball team got off to a 1-4 start on its opening weekend of the new season, losing all three games at West Virginia State before splitting a Sunday twinbill with Rio Grande (Ohio)…Freshman pitchers Katie Drdrey and Kelsie Prendel each made their first career starts on the mound for the Chargers last weekend…Pitcher Laura Homan recorded her first win of the season, and has a 13-2 strikeout-to-walk ratio in three starts…Junior shortstop Kate Hoop led the team with a .700 batting average and seven hits in five games…The team already has 10 stolen bases through five games this season, compared to 23 stolen bases in 47 games in 2011…Hillsdale heads to Florida this week where it will play nationally ranked opponents Lock Haven and Augustana, among others.

Lake Erie Storm

Lake Erie College’s softball team is on the annual spring break trip participating in the Rebel Spring Games in Kissimmee, Fla. The Storm have started the season 0-3.

Lake Superior State Lakers

Lake Superior State traveled to California for the first time in school history and finished 3-4 during its spring break trip Feb. 26-March 2. Redshirt freshman shortstop Amanda Maxon (Munising, Mich.) led LSSU in batting average at .364, hits with eight and RBIs with six. She also had two home runs. Sophomore pitcher Felicia Gingrich (St. Johns, Mich.) batted .350 and was 1-2 as a pitcher. The team’s only senior, pitcher Jillian Willette (Escanaba, Mich.) was 1-1 and posted the pitching staff’s best earned run average of 2.93. Freshman Brandi Anderson (Negaunee, Mich.) was also 1-1 on the mound. LSSU began its trip by winning two exhibition games against the Antelope Valley club team, 11-2 (five innings) and 5-4 (8 innings), finishing 2-1 in extra-inning contests in California. The Lakers are idle until they begin GLIAC play March 23 at Ohio Dominican.

Northwood Timberwolves

Northwood is on the annual spring break trip participating in the Rebel Spring Games in Kissimmee, Fla. The Timberwolves have started the season 1-3 and had two games cancelled in Florida.

Ohio Dominican Panthers

ODU is off to a 3-5 start in the 2012 campaign. Freshman catcher Alex Cribari (Lyndhurst, OH) led the Panthers’ offense batting .412 (7-of-17) with .588 slugging percentage in six starts. She currently boasts team highs in hits (7), multi-hit games (3), runs (4), triples (1), total bases (10), hit by pitches (4), on-base percentage (.545) and stolen bases (3) and is fourth in Division II in hits by pitch per game (0.67). In six starts, junior Brooke McCartney (Salem, OH) also collected seven hits, including a 3-for-4 effort versus Lander, while driving in a team leading five runs. Freshman Kelsey Seeds (Westerville, OH), sophomore Rebekha Lucas (Laurelville, OH) and senior Kylee Crislip (Louisville, OH) all tallied five hits apiece. Freshman Rachael Stanzel (Angleton, TX) collected all three wins for ODU, while sporting 3-1 record and 2.25 ERA in four starts and 28.0 innings of work, including three complete games. She spaced seven hits and two earned runs over eight innings, while striking out a season-best nine batters and walking just one in the 4-3 game one win over Bellarmine. Following the two-week hiatus, the Panthers return to the diamond next on their Spring Break trip when they head to Texas for four road doubleheaders in four days, beginning at 2 p.m. on Monday, March 12 against St. Edward’s in Austin.

Saginaw Valley State Cardinals

The Saginaw Valley State University softball team returned home from the very competitive 2012 Rebel Spring Games with a 7-7 overall record, defeating #11 C.W. Post 1-0 and #10 Indiana (Pa.), 3-1 along the way. SVSU was led by senior Ashley Coffin who posted a .279 batting average, while Natalie Wellman posted a .244 batting average with 10 hits and four runs batted in. Junior Alexa Gehrls finished with a 6-1 overall record in the circle while Jillian Williamson compiled a 1-6 overall record and two saves for the week, but only gave up 11 earned runs in nine games of action. The Cardinals have a team ERA of 1.04 this season and have struck out 95 batters. Saginaw Valley will be back in action on Friday (Mar. 23) when they travel to Lake Erie for their first GLIAC competition of the 2012 season. First pitch is scheduled for 3:30 PM.

Tiffin Dragons

Tiffin has started the season 9-2 and is currently in Florida for the spring trip. The Dragons will start GLIAC play March 23 at home against Grand Valley State.

Wayne State Warriors

Wayne State began the year with a 1-3 mark at the Charger Chillout in Decatur, Ala. (Feb. 17-18) with the final day being rained out. The Warriors went 3-2 at the Catawba Invitational (Salisbury, N.C.) on Feb. 24-26, before beginning their spring break trip with a 7-2 triumph over Wheeling Jesuit on Saturday. Head coach Gary Bryce moved into 18th on the NCAA All-Time wins list (all divisions) with 1,012 following the victory over WJU. Senior Alison Allen (Redford, Mich./Farmington Hills Mercy) has started six games at third base and is leading the team with a .400 batting average (12-30). She has a team-best 12 hits, while ranking second in doubles (3), walks (4) and on-base percentage (.486) behind sophomore second baseman Nikki Fulton (Stratford, Ont. / St. Michael Catholic S.S.). Fulton leads the squad in runs scored (9), walks (5) and on-base percentage (.500), and is second in both batting average (.393) and slugging percentage (.571). Junior outfielder Stephanie Foreman (Cambridge, Ont. / Preston) leads the team in doubles (4), slugging percentage (.696) and RBI (8). WSU has eight more games scheduled as part of the Rebel Spring Games (in Kissimee, Fla.) before returning home to start GLIAC play on March 23 vs. Hillsdale.