ODAC Athletes of the Week | Baseball, Lacrosse, Softball, Tennis

ODAC Athletes of the Week | Baseball, Lacrosse, Softball, Tennis

FOREST, Va. --- ODAC standings are tighter than ever through week 33 of the season as spring postseason tournaments approach. Those earning ODAC Athlete of the Week awards for Monday, April 18, include (pictured from left and top): Emma Stiffler from Shenandoah women's lacrosse, Garrett Jackson from Lynchburg baseball, Jack Averna from Randolph-Macon men's lacrosse, Natalia Garcia Molina from SU women's tennis, Mitchell Perry from Virginia Wesleyan men's tennis, Emily Charlton from LYN softball, Reilly Owen from SU baseball, and Sarah Wimer from Bridgewater softball.

Below are entries for each of the winners from today's release. The following schedule will be used for awards reporting:

  • Mondays: baseball, softball, m/w lacrosse, and m/w tennis
  • Tuesdays: outdoor track & field
  • Wednesdays: m/w golf

For more on ODAC athletics, visit the websites of any of the participating schools, or go to the ODAC's home on the Internet at www.odaconline.com.  Don't forget to become a fan of the ODAC on Facebook and follow @odacathletics on Twitter and Instagram.

BASEBALL PITCHER OF THE WEEK
Reilly Owen | Shenandoah | Jr. | Starter
Owen, a junior from Charlottesville, Va., put his best foot forward in leading nationally 25th-ranked Shenandoah to a 3-0 victory over Ferrum. Owen fired eight shutout frames and scattered five hits. He walked two and struck out a half-dozen on the way to improving to 2-3 on the season. Owen allowed just two runners to reach second base with one coming via a steal. He rolled up three double play ground balls amongst 12 total ground ball outs. He also picked a runner off of first base. For the season, Owen has made 10 appearances including nine starts covering 39.2 innings on the hill. He lowered his ERA to 5.45 and improve his opponents batting average to .259. He has struck out 43 batters and walked 27.

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BASEBALL PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Garrett Jackson | Lynchburg | Sr. | 3rd Base
Jackson, a senior from Virginia Beach, Va., registered a trio of three-hit games as he helped the nationally fifth-ranked Hornets go 3-1 last week included a sweep on the road of Guilford College. Jackson hit .526 (10-for-19) with a double, triple, and two homers for a 1.000 slugging percentage. He also walked twice to drive is OBP for the week to .609. Jackson went 1-for-5 in the Hornets 6-4 setback at Randolph-Macon to split the season series with the Yellow Jackets. He then responded with three straight three-hit games to help Lynchburg outscore Greensboro and Guilford by a combined 61-20. In a 29-7 win over Greensboro, Jackson went 3-for-4 with a double and two RBI. He also walked and scored four runs. He cross the plate four more times in each game of a sweep of Guilford, giving him 12 total runs scored for the week. He went 3-for-5 in both games, belting a two-run shot and smacking a two-run single on the way to four RBI in a 21-10 win in game one. In game two, he legged out a triple and blasted a solo homer while also stealing a base. For the season, the Hornets third baseman is hitting .290 with a .420 OBP and a .489 SLG. He has cracked five homers and driven in 31 runs. His 39 runs scored are fourth in the ODAC.

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MEN'S LACROSSE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Jack Averna | Randolph-Macon | Sr. | Attackman
Averna, a senior from Warrenton, Va., played a big role in the Yellow Jackets picking up a pair of ODAC wins and improving to 8-5 overall and 4-2 in league play. Averna posted a 13-point week over the two victories beginning with a career-high 10-point outing in a 16-14 win over Shenandoah. He tied his personal-best for the second time this season with six goals scored. His original half-dozen tally came in a 20-2 win over Goucher with his second such output coming in an 18-11 win at Bridgewater. Averna, who collected three ground balls against SU, also handed out a career-high four assists. He then helped Randolph-Macon post its first win over Hampden-Sydney since 2013 with a three goals in a 14-13 triumph. His final tally -- R-MC's 14th goal -- proved the difference-maker as the Tigers scored with 39-seconds left to make it 14-13, a result with carried through to the final horn. For the season, Averna is fourth in the ODAC in points (65), third in goals scored (46) and seventh in assists (19). He has scored at least one goal in all 13 games played and registered three or more points in 12-of-13 outings.

Click to learn more about the past week in ODAC MEN'S LACROSSE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
MEN'S TENNIS PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Mitchell Perry | Virginia Wesleyan | Sr. | #1 Singles | #1 Doubles
Perry, a senior from Johns Creek, Ga., helped Virginia Wesleyan to a 2-1 week that featured a pair of key ODAC victories to drive the Marlins records to 9-7 overall and 5-1 in league play. Perry went 5-1 overall between singles and double action, the latter all with partner Felix Bevc. The pair posted an 8-5 win over Daniel Blonquist and Tanner Bassett at #1 doubles against regionally 18th-ranked Southern Virginia. Perry dropped at 6-1, 6-2 decision to Marcos Dias at #1 singles in the Marlins 6-3 team setback to the Knights. Perry rebounded with a 6-3, 6-4 win over Tyler Brice at #2 singles in VWU's 8-1 team triumph over Hampden-Sydney. Perry and Bevc topped Barrett Foster and Matt Kendrick, 8-3, at #1 doubles. The duo posted a second 8-3 from the top flight, this time against Evan Wong and Drake Schreiber as part of a 7-2 team win over Guilford. Perry defeated Jay Montague, 6-3, 6-2, at #1 singles.

Click to learn more about the past week in ODAC MEN'S TENNIS PLAYER OF THE WEEK
SOFTBALL PITCHER OF THE WEEK
Emily Charlton | Lynchburg | So. | Pitcher
Charlton, a sophomore from Chesapeake, Va., picks up her first ODAC weekly award after pitching Lynchburg to a pair of conference wins to improve the Hornets records to 21-17 overall and 11-5 in league play. Charlton won both of her starts last week, including an eight-inning marathon in game one of a split at Randolph College. She tossed all eight frames and allowed just one unearned run, which was the eighth-inning tiebreaker runner, in Lynchburg's 6-1 victory. She scattered seven hits and struck out one. After allowing a lead-off single, she set down the next nine WildCats. Charlton then posted her second complete victory in a 7-5 decision over Ferrum. She allowed five runs with two being earned. She worked around eight hits and did not walk a batter for a second straight outing. She fanned six Panthers. For the season, Charlton is now is now 10-4 with two saves in 15 appearances (10 starts) covering 100.1 innings in the circle. She has struck out 63 allowed just 11 walks. She owns a 2.09 ERA and opponents are hitting .251 against her.

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SOFTBALL PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Sarah Wimer | Bridgewater | Sr. | Catch
Wimer, a senior from Broadway, Va., earns her second weekly award after leading Bridgewater to a 2-2 week against ODAC competition to move the Eagles records to 21-15 and 11-5 in conference play. That ranks them second in the league table. Wimer generated at least one run in each contest and reached base nine times over 15 plate appearances (.600 OBP) in the four game. In a split (4-5, 9-0) with Roanoke, she went 1-for-4 with two walks, two RBI, and three runs scored. One of those runs was the an inside-the-park homerun in game one. That round-tripper marked her 11th homer, setting a new BC single-season record. In a split (3-4, 10-4) on the road at Shenandoah, Wimer went 5-for-8 with a double, four RBI, walk, a run scored, and a stolen base. She went 2-for-4 with an RBI in game one, and then drove in three in game two as she went 3-for-4 with a walk. Wimer was also error from the field and threw out a pair of would-be basestealers. For the season, Wimer is third in the ODAC in hitting (.445) and leads the league in OBP (.523) and slugging (.855). She is second in hits (49) and first in homers (11), RBI (44), total bases (94) and walks (19).

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WOMEN'S LACROSSE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Emma Stiffler | Shenandoah | Sr. | Attack
Stiffler, a senior from New Freedom, Pa., picks up her second ODAC weekly award of the season after leading Shenandoah to a pair of ODAC wins to improve the Hornets records to 9-4 overall and 4-1 in league play. Stiffler posted a 16-point week beginning with nine points in a 19-13 win over Randolph-Macon. She scored five goals and dished out four assists to go along with six draw controls and a pair of ground balls. She scored twice and registered two of her assists in a decisive second quarter where SU broke a 3-3 tie after one period to take the lead for good, including 10-7 at the half. In Shenandoah's second game of the week, Stiffler recorded seven points in a battle of the Hornets in Lynchburg. She scored three of her game-high five goals in the fourth quarter as Shenandoah erased deficits of 5-4 after one period, 8-6 and the half, and 10-9 following three quarters with six goals to Lynchburg's one for a 15-11 road victory. Stiffler added a pair of assists -- one in the fourth quarter -- along with a ground ball, three draw controls, and a caused turnover. For the season, Stiffler leads the ODAC in points (60) and ranks second in assists (28) and tied for sixth in goals (32). She has scored 13 free-position goals, which is tied for the most in the conference.

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WOMEN'S TENNIS PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Natalia Garcia Molina | Shenandoah | Gr. | #1 Singles | #1 Doubles
Garcia Molina, a graduate student from Castellón de la Plana, Spain, earns her second weekly award after helping Shenandoah continue its best season since joining the ODAC in 2012 with a trio of conference victories last week. Garcia Molina went 3-0 at #1 singles and joined Jahveesha Combs for a 3-0 mark at #1 doubles as the Hornets improved to 9-3 overall team dual matches and 7-1 in league play.  In a 9-0 team win over Roanoke, Garcia Molina and Combs won 8-2 over Lucy Collins and Halle Fernstrum. Garcia Molina then topped Collins, 6-1, 6-0, in singles play. She did not drop a set in her singles win over Malena Hoover in the Hornets 5-4 nail-biting victory at Bridgewater. She and Combs defeated Hoover and Rachel Crawford, 8-4, in doubles action. Shenandoah topped Randolph, 9-0, in its final match of the week. Garcia Molina and Combs downed Bailey Livingston and Valentina Santos, 8-1, in doubles play. Garcia Molina then earned her second straight sets win of the week, besting Santos 6-0, 6-0. For the season, Garcia Molina is 17-1 in all singles matches including 11-0 in dual action, all from the #1 position. She is 8-0 in league contests. She and Combs are 18-2 in all doubles matches with a 12-0 mark in top flight matchups. They are 8-0 in the ODAC.

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