2019 Softball Players of the Week
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Mackenzie Chitwood, Lynchburg, Sr., 1st Base
April 22, 2019Chitwood, a senior from Ferrum, Va., is now just three homeruns away from tying the ODAC single-season record after cracking two more in a sweep of Eastern Mennonite last week. Chitwood, who slashed .667/.750/1.667 in the series, hammered a three-run homer to set the tone in the first inning of an 8-3 victory in game one. She added a to her line. In game two, the Hornets first baseman went 3-for-3 including a two-run homer on the way to three RBI and a 7-2 triumph. Chitwood's ODAC-best 14 homers are currently ranked #2 in NCAA Division III. She also leads the ODAC in total bases (102) and is second in RBI (53) and slugging (.836). She is fourth with 48 hits. Her RBI total and slugging percentage are both ranked third in the country. -
Hanna Hull, Virginia Wesleyan, Jr., Pitcher
April 22, 2019Hull, a junior from Chesterfield, Va., improved to 22-1 with two conference wins last week. She also became the first pitcher in ODAC history and 25th in the NCAA Division III record books to crack 1,000 career strikeouts. She fanned 24 this week, pushing career total to 1,005 punchouts in just short of three seasons. Hull opened her week with a 9-1 win over Shenandoah in five innings. She gave up one run on three hits with two walks and nine strikeouts. The run was just her sixth overall and fourth earned run allowed against conference competition this season. Hull was even better in a 5-0 no-hit shutout over Ferrum. She was one hit-batter away from a perfect game as she struck out 15 Panthers for her 13th double figure strikeout game of the season. Hull currently leads the country in wins (22), strikeouts per seven innings (14.0), and ERA (0.38). She's second with 257 strikeouts.
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Kendall Varner, Emory & Henry, So., 1st Base
April 15, 2019Varner, a sophomore from Bassett, Va., enjoyed a power surge with six of her eight hits going for extra bases, helping the Wasps to a 2-2 week. Varner slashed .571/.625/1.500 with a double, three triples, two homers, five RBI, and seven runs scored. In a split at Bridgewater, Varner went 5-for-8 with four extra-base hits, four RBI, and four runs scored. She came up a single short of the cycle in game one, going 3-for-5 with three RBI and three runs scored in a 10-3 victory. She accounted for the Wasps run in a 2-1 setback in game two, leaving the yard for a second time in the series. Varner went 3-for-6 with two walks, a RBI, and three runs scored in a split at Shenandoah. She tripled, walked twice, drove in a run and scored two more in an 8-2 win in game one. She tripled again in the nightcap, scoring once in a 4-2 loss. For the season, Varner is 12th in the ODAC with a .410 batting average, sixth with a .496 on-base percentage, and #1 with an .870 slugging percentage. She also leads the ODAC with 39 runs scored, is second with 11 homers, and third with 87 total bases.
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Carla Hall, Virginia Wesleyan, So., Pitcher
April 15, 2019Hall, a sophomore from Franklin County, Va., helped the nationally top-ranked Marlins run their current winning streak to 12 straight games with a pair of shutout victories. Hall opened with a four-hit effort over seven frames in a 6-0 victory at Eastern Mennonite. She did not walk a batter and fanned three. She ended the game having set down seven straight batters and also enjoyed a pair of six-batter set-down streaks. Hall added her second victory of the week with a one-hit 8-0 shutout in five innings over Roanoke. She did not issue a free pass for a second straight game and struck out four. Twice she retired five Maroons in a row. For the season, Hall is 10-1 with an ODAC second-best 1.28 ERA. She has fanned 42 and allowed just 45 hits in 82.1 innings of work.
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Anna Thomas, Emory & Henry, Fy., Outfielder
April 08, 2019Thomas, a first-year from Climax, N.C., put together a strong week that featured a trio of multi-hit games and a slash line of .526/.571/.789 in the Wasps 5-1 week. Thomas went 5-for-7 with two doubles, two RBI, and three runs scored in Emory & Henry's split (4-5, 10-2) with Ferrum. She helped E&H to a road sweep at Randolph (3-0, 6-0) with a double and a walk in game two, scoring a run. Thomas capped her week by generating eight runs in a sweep at Guilfird (10-0, 8-4). She doubled, drove in two runs, and scored twice in game one, and then went 3-for-4 with another two-bagger, two more RBI, and two runs scored in game two. She also stole a base in the latter contest. For the season, Thomas is third in the ODAC in hitting at .432 (32-for-74). She leagues the lead with 13 doubles and is seventh with a .662 slugging percentage. She has driven in 17 runs and scored 24 times.
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Hanna Hull, Virginia Wesleyan, Jr., Pitcher
April 08, 2019Hull, a junior from Chesterfield, Va., continued her torrid run against Marlins' opponents as the two-time national player of the year earns her fourth straight and fifth overall conference weekly award of the season. Hull went 2-0 with a save in four appearances for nationally second-ranked Virginia Wesleyan last week, surrendering just two hits and zero runs with 10 walks and 38 strikeouts in 18.0 innings in the circle. The southpaw opened her week with a complete-game no-hitter of N.C. Wesleyan, 3-0. She walked four batters, but made up for it with 17 strikeouts, her second-highest total of the season (18 vs. Fredonia on 3/2/19). She entered game two in relief with the game in the balance. She went 3.0 hitless and scoreless frames with three walks and seven punchouts to earn a save. Hull earned her second complete-game victory of the week with a 2-0 shutout at eighth-ranked Lynchburg. She gave up two hits and walked to batters while fanning 12. It was her 11th double-digit strikeout game of the season. Hull finished her week with with a scoreless inning of relief in game two, walking one and striking out a pair to close out a 7-2 victory. For the season, Hull is 18-1 with three saves, 11 complete games, and seven shutouts in 23 appearances including 16 starts. She has given up only 38 hits and eight runs (4 earned) in 105.2 innings of work. She has issued 36 free passes and struck out a NCAA Division III leading 208 batters. She owns a 0.26 ERA and opponents are hitting just .108 against her.
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Leanna Toler, Emory & Henry, Jr., Shortstop
April 01, 2019Toler, a junior from Abingdon, Va., was seemingly always on base for the Wasps in Emory & Henry's 4-2 week as she slashed .632/.696/1.000. Toler went 12-for-19 and reached based in 16-of-23 plate appearances when her four free passes are added in. She doubled and belted two homers while driving in nine runs, scoring nine times, and stealing four bases. Toler went 5-for-7 with a walk, three RBI, three steals, and three runs scored in the Wasps sweep of Southern Virginia, 9-3 and 11-3. The Wasps dropped a pair of games to nationally second-ranked Virginia Wesleyan. Toler went 1-for-4 with two walks, a stolen base, and a run scored in the series. Her stat sheet was much fuller in a sweep (12-4, 14-7) of Randolph-Macon as Toler went 6-for-8 with a double, two homers, six RBI, a walk, and five runs scored. She homered in each contest, giving her four on the season. Toler is slashing .368/.443/.592 on the season with five doubles, 19 RBI, 11 walks, and 11 steals.
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Hanna Hull, Virginia Wesleyan, Jr., Pitcher
April 01, 2019Hull, a junior from Chesterfield, Va., earns her third straight and fourth overall weekly award of the season after going 3-0 and registering a 0.86 ERA with 25 strikeouts in 16.1 innings last week. Hull went the distance to start her week, picking up a 7-2 win at Emory & Henry. She gave up two unearned runs on three hits with two walks and 10 strikeouts. She came on in relief with the game in the balance in the nightcap and collected her second victory of the week with 2.01 shutout frames in a 5-1 triumph. She gave up two hits, but notched four strikeouts of the seven total outs she recorded. Hull capped her week with a second complete-game effort in a 10-2 victory at Guilford. She gave up two runs on two hits and worked around an uncharacteristic six walks with 11 strikeouts. For the season, Hull is an ODAC-best 16-1 with nine complete games and five shutouts. She owns a 0.32 ERA and has fanned a NCAA Division III-leading 170 batters in 87.2 innings of work. She has only given up 36 hits and four earned runs (8 total runs).
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Kayla Hugate, Lynchburg, Jr., Shortstop
March 25, 2019Hugate, a junior from Chesterfield, Va., helped lead nationally 15th-ranked Lynchburg to a 5-1 week that including a sweep of #24 Randolph-Macon. Hugate hit safely in all six games on the way to slashing .409/.423/.455. In a series split with Ferrum, she drove in both Hornet runs in a 3-2 setback in game one. She doubled and drove in another run while scoring one of her own in a 10-4 victory in game two. Hugate turned up her production in 4-1 and 7-2 victories over R-MC as she went a combined 5-for-7 with a walk and four runs scored over the two contests. In a sweep of William Peace, Hugate singled and scored the go-ahead run in the top of the seventh for a 2-1 victory in game one. She drove in two runs, scored another, and walked in an 8-5 victory in game two. For the season, Hugate is slashing .333/.395/.427 with five doubles, a triple, nine RBI and an ODAC-best 27 runs scored.
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Hanna Hull, Virginia Wesleyan, Jr., Pitcher
March 25, 2019Hull, a junior from Chesterfield, Va., picks up her second straight and third overall weekly honor after going 3-1 with a save in five appearances last week. Hull opened her week with a 1-0 shutout over nationally 24th-ranked Randolph-Macon. She gave up three hits and walked two batters while fanning nine Yellow Jackets. In her second start of the week against ODAC foes, Hull worked the first 3.0 frames in a 13-0 triumph over Bridgewater, giving up one hit with four strikeouts. She came back to get the final two outs in the top of the fifth inning in game two before the Marlins posted seven runs in the bottom of the frame to lock up an 11-3 shortened victory and a statistical save for Hull. The two-time NFCA Player of the Year was at her best in game one against nationally second-ranked Christopher Newport. She went the distance in a 3-1 win, giving up one run on two hits. She made up for five walks with 14 punchouts that featured striking out the side three times. Hull was saddled with the loss in game two, 2-1, allowing an unearned run in the eighth inning in her only inning of work. For the season, Hull is 13-1 with a 0.20 ERA and a NCAA Division III-best 145 strikeouts in 71.1 innings in the circle.
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Mackenzie Chitwood, Lynchburg, Sr., 1st Base
March 18, 2019Chitwood, a senior from Ferrum, Va., picks up her second weekly award after helping nationally 13th-ranked Lynchburg to a 4-2 week that including a sweep of #18 Salisbury. Chitwood slashed .474/.476/.947 with three homers, nine RBI, and six runs scored. She homered and drove in five runs in a 9-0 win over Salisbury in game one. She went 1-for-2 with a walk, RBI, and run scored in a 5-4 triumph in game two. Chitwood homered, drove in a run, and scored another despite a 12-4 setback to #7 Christopher Newport. She helped the Hornets recover from two losses to CNU by going 5-for-7 with a homer, two RBI, and three runs scored in a sweep of Mary Washington (2-0, 13-3). For the season, Chitwood is tied atop the ODAC with 22 RBI and is tied for second with five homeruns. She is hitting .418 (23-for-55) with a .468 on-base percentage and ODAC seventh-best .745 slugging percentage.
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Hanna Hull, Virginia Wesleyan, Jr., Pitcher
March 18, 2019Hull, a junior from Chesterfield, Va., improved to 10-0 on the season as the nationally top-ranked and two-time defending national champion Marlins remain unbeaten at 15-0. Hull appeared six times last week and posted five victories with a save. While she allowed her first two runs (one earned) of the season, Hull surrendered just 11 hits and fanned 45 batters in 23.2 innings in the circle. She struck out 14 batters and allowed two hits with two walks in a complete-game 5-0 win over Averett. She worked 2.0 shutout and hitless frames in game two, punching out five more Cougars on the way to a save in a 4-1 victory. Hull started and won both games of a sweep of nationally 18th-ranked Salisbury. She worked 4.0 scoreless innings and allowed just one hit with nine strikeouts in a 6-4 win in game one. She went 5.0 innings in game two, giving up two runs (one earned) on four hits with four walks and eight strikeouts on the way to a 6-2 triumph. Victory #4 on the week came in game one against Randolph where she allowed two hits and struck out five WildCats in a 10-1 decision. She worked the final 1.2 innings in game two, giving up two hits with four strikeouts on the way to a 4-1 win. For the season, Hull is 10-1 with a save in 11 appearances. She leads the country with 116 strikeouts in 52.2 innings of work. The one earned run she allowed against Salisbury raised her ERA to 0.13.
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Mackenzie Chitwood, Lynchburg, Sr., 1st Base
March 11, 2019Chitwood, a senior from Ferrum, Va., played a major role in the Hornets going 7-1 over eight games played last week as she hit safely in each contest, drove in an ODAC-best 12 runs, and slashed at .414/.469/.655. Lynchburg opened the week with a sweep of Salem -- 1-0 and 2-1 -- where Chitwood went 2-for-6 with a hit in each game. She doubled and drove in a run in a 6-5 win over Averett in game one of a split with the Cougars. She had another knock in game two. Chitwood then went 3-for-7 with a walk, three RBI, and two runs scored as the Hornets registered a sweep of SUNY Cortland, 6-5 and 9-3. Chitwood save her best for last as Lynchburg took both games from The College of New Jersey, 5-3 and 15-3. The Lions (12) are receiving votes to the NFCA top-25 poll, much like the Hornets (15). Chitwood went 5-for-8 with a walk in those two outings. She homered, drove in three runs, and scored another in game one. She homered again in game two while registering five RBI and scoring another tally. For the season, Chitwood is hitting .405 with five doubles, four homers, and 18 RBI.
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Candace Whittemore, Randolph-Macon, Sr., Pitcher
March 11, 2019Whittemore, a senior from Montpelier, Va., picked up a pair of victories last week in her two starts, registering shutouts and complete games from both efforts. Whittemore opened with seven innings of two-hit ball in defeating then nationally 12th-ranked Rowan University 1-0. She allowed one walk and fanned six. Whittemore picked up her second shutout of the week with a 5-0 decision over Wilkes University. She allowed just three hits and walked one with six more punchouts in seven full frames in the circle. She also helped herself by driving in a run at the dish. For the season, Whittemore is 5-1 in six starts with three complete games and two shutouts. She owns a 1.36 earned run average and has fanned 38 batters in 36.0 innings of work.
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Katrina Martin, Bridgewater, So., 1st Base
March 04, 2019Martin, a sophomore from Bridgewater, Va., hit safely in each of four games played last week, helping Bridgewater to a 4-0 record. Martin slashed .700/.750/1.500 in going 7-for-10 with a triple, two homers, seven RBI, and six runs scored. She was a combined 3-for-3 with a triple, three RBI, two runs scored, and a walk in a sweep of PSU-Altoona (8-0, 9-1). Martin went 3-for-4 with a homer, two RBI, and three runs scored in a 10-6 triumph over Defiance. She capped her week by going 1-for-2 with a walk, homer, two RBI, and a run scored in a 3-0 win over Dominican (Ill.).
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Hanna Hull, Virginia Wesleyan, Jr., Pitcher
March 04, 2019Hull, a junior from Chesterfield, Va., improved to 3-0 on the season with two victories in dominant fashion. Hull recorded 31 of the 42 outs over her two shutout victories via strikeout. She opened with 18 punchouts in a 2-0 victory over Fredonia State. She gave up two hits and walked a pair while recording the fourth 18-plus strikeout game of her career. It is one off her own VWU and ODAC record of 19 strikeouts during her freshman campaign. Hull was back at it in a 3-0 win over Kean, fanning 13 batters while allowing five hits without a walk in a second 7-inning shutout. For the season, Hull is 3-0 with a 0.00 ERA thru 18.0 innings of work. She has struck out 43 batters against three walks.
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Sarah Aukamp, Guilford, So., Shortstop
February 25, 2019Aukamp, a sophomore from Cary, N.C., went a perfect 5-for-5 as the Quakers earned a season-opening sweep at Mary Baldwin. Aukamp slashed 1.000/1.000/2.400 with three extra-base hits and four RBI. She opened with a 3-for-3 showing with a double, two homers, two RBI, and three runs scored in a 9-0 victory. She was 2-for-2 with a walk, two RBI and a runs scored in a 10-0 triumph in game two.
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Katie McNeil, Guilford, So., Pitcher
February 25, 2019McNeil, a sophomore from Winston-Salem, N.C., opened the season with a stellar outing in the circle to lead the Quakers to 9-0 five-inning shortened win over Mary Baldwin. McNeil worked all five frames and surrendered just one hit with two walks and 11 strikeouts. She fanned at least two batters in each inning and whiffed the side in the fourth frame.
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Ariana Rolle, Virginia Wesleyan, Fy., Outfielder
February 18, 2019Rolle, a first-year from Marion, Iowa, started off her collegiate career with a strong .714/.714/.714 slash line in helping the Marlins to a season-opening sweep of Meredith. Rolle went 3-for-3 with two runs scored and a stolen bases as Virginia Wesleyan's lead-off hitter in her first game. Her efforts helped VWU to a 15-0 shortened victory. Game two didn't go the full distance either with the Marlins claiming a 9-0 win in five innings. Rolle went 2-for-4 with a run scored and a run driven in to go with a stolen base.
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Hanna Hull, Virginia Wesleyan, Jr., Pitcher
February 18, 2019Hull, a junior from Chesterfield, Va., left no doubt about her level of preparedness entering the new season as the two-time Division III Player of the Year stuck out all but one batter she faced in a 15-0 season-opening victory over Meredith. Hull worked the first 4.0 frames of of the shortened affair and didn't allow a hit while walking one and fanning 12. Hull, the ODAC's all-time career and single-season strikeout leader, opened the game with four punchouts, walked a batter with one down in the second, and then sent the next eight hitters back to the dugout.
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Sarah Commons, Jr., 2B, Lynchburg
February 11, 2019Commons, a junior from Glen Allen, Va., posted a .833/.875/1.000 slash line during a season-opening sweep on the road at Methodist. Commons was 5-for-6 at the dish with five runs scored, a double, two walks, and two stolen bases. She was 2-for-2 with two walks, two stolen bases, and three runs scored in an 11-0 shortened win in game one. She followed with a 3-for-4 outing with two runs scored in a 9-1 triumph in game two.
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Taylor Belknap, Lynchburg, Sr., Pitcher
February 11, 2019Belknap, a senior from Arden, N.C., helped the Hornets start off the 2019 campaign in resounding fashion with a sweep at Methodist University. Belknap got the start and went 4.0 innings of a 5-inning shortened 11-0 shutout of the Monarchs in game one. Belknap gave up two his and walked two while fanning six batters. She settled in mid-way thru the contest, setting down five straight between the second and third innings.
