Oklahoma City, OK - Perfect weekend in the circle earns James Madison pitcher Jailyn Ford USA Softball Collegiate National Player of the Week honors
Perfect weekend in the circle earns James Madison pitcher Jailyn Ford USA Softball Collegiate National Player of the Week honors
OKLAHOMA CITY — Following a perfect weekend in the circle, James Madison's Jailyn Ford (Hot Springs, Va.) has been selected as the Week 2 USA Softball Collegiate National Player of the Week, the Amateur Softball Association (ASA)/USA Softball announced today. The senior pitcher went 2-0 with a save in the circle against Top 25 ranked opponents, also garnering her Colonial Athletic Association Pitcher of the Week honors. This is the first USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Week award for Ford, who helped her team jump eight spots in this week's ESPN.com/USA Softball Collegiate Top 25 Poll.
"It's truly a humbling moment to be honored and this success would not have been possible without the whole team's effort," said Ford. "They made the crucial plays when needed and were able to put runs on the scoreboard early in the game against tough opponents. Being able to rely on my teammates and knowing that they will always have your back makes a pitcher's job easier."
Ford went 2-0 with a save in the circle last weekend, pitching to a 1.02 ERA. Both of her victories came against ranked foes as she allowed just two runs, five hits and seven walks, while striking out 18 batters in 13.2 innings of work. Ford allowed just two hits while striking out eight against then-No. 14 Tennessee. The following day, she gave up just two runs and three hits against No. 3 Auburn, striking out nine. Ford rounded out the weekend by tossing the final 1.2 innings against Oklahoma State, not allowing a hit, to earn the save.
Ford helped out her cause at the plate, finishing the weekend with a .333 batting average (4-for-12) with a home run, an RBI and three runs. She also had two extra-base hits for an .833 slugging percentage and walked four times to notch a .500 on-base percentage.
"I thought Jailyn's performance this past weekend was a true testament to the work and commitment she made over the summer and in the fall to her team," said James Madison Head Coach Mickey Dean. "She has made the past six months more about her team than herself and it's so great for our program to see someone be rewarded for that."
This marks the first USA Softball Collegiate National Player of the Week honors for James Madison since Week 7 of the 2015 when freshman pitcher Megan Good was honored.
The Dukes return to action on Feb. 26-28 when they host the JMU Invitational, where they will face off against Binghamton, Toledo, Saint Joseph's and Robert Morris.
2016 USA Softball National Collegiate Players of the Week
Week 1 (Feb. 11-14): Lexie Elkins – Louisiana-Lafayette - Senior - Catcher – Victoria, Texas
Week 2 (Feb. 15-21): Jailyn Ford – James Madison - Senior - Pitcher – Hot Springs, Va.
About ASA/USA Softball
Founded in 1933, the Amateur Softball Association (ASA)/USA Softball is the National Governing Body Softball in the United States and a member of the United States Olympic Committee. One of the nation's largest sports organizations, ASA/USA Softball sanctions competition in every state through a network of 70 local associations and has grown from a few hundred teams in the early days to over 165,000 teams today, representing a membership of more than 2.5 million. ASA/USA is responsible for training, equipping and promoting the six USA Softball National Teams that compete in international and domestic competitions. The USA Softball Women's National Team is one of only two women's sports involved in the Olympic movement to capture three consecutive gold medals at the Olympic Games since 1996. The U.S. women have also won nine World Championship titles as well as claimed eight World Cup of Softball titles. For more information about ASA/USA Softball, please visit http://www.asausasoftball.com.
About the NCAA Women's College World Series
ASA Hall of Fame Stadium – OGE Energy Field serves as the home to the NCAA Women's College World Series (WCWS). For the 26th year, the top eight college teams in the nation will head to Oklahoma City and compete for a national championship. Last year, over 78,000 fans attended the WCWS. Be there to Share The Experience with softball fans from across the country June 2-8 in Oklahoma City. Tickets for the 2016 NCAA WCWS are on sale now, click here to purchase your tickets and secure your championship experience!
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