Oklahoma City, OK - - Monstrous weekend at the plate lands Texas Tech’s Jessica Hartwell USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Week
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Monstrous weekend at the plate lands Texas Tech’s Jessica Hartwell USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Week
OKLAHOMA CITY — After smashing six home runs and driving in 19 RBI in seven games, Texas Tech infielder Jessica Hartwell (Galt, Calif.) has been named USA Softball Collegiate National Player of the Week, USA Softball announced today. Hartwell, who also landed the Player of the Week accolade for the Big 12 Conference, launched a home run in all but two games for the Red Raiders, including a grand slam.
"It feels awesome when everything we have been working for comes together,†said Hartwell. “This week was a reflection of what it's like to be surrounded by great teammates and coaches that draw the best of me and enable all of us to play to our highest ability."
Hartwell started out the week nearly unstoppable after returning to the Red Raiders lineup for the first time since a hand injury kept her out of the lineup. Going 4-for-6 with two home runs, Hartwell collected five RBI, a double and two walks in a doubleheader against New Mexico State. She followed with a 3-for-5 performance at the plate against New Mexico where she hit her third home run of the week with four RBI and four runs scored. Hartwell added to her weekend totals with a fourth home run in a 2-for-4 showing with a run scored while providing five of the team’s six RBI in a win over Bowling Green. She finished out the week with a home run, two RBI and a run scored against UTSA and then another home run, three RBI and a run scored against New Mexico.
"Jess is such an incredible athlete,†said Texas Tech Head Coach, Adrian Gregory. “She just had stitches removed from her hand on Monday, wasn't feeling her best physically and still put up these numbers. This kid plays the game so hard and gives everything she has to it. I am very excited for her, and there is not a more deserving athlete to get this recognition.â€
For the week, Hartwell had 19 RBI and six home runs while hitting .440 with a 1.360 slugging percentage. This marks the first USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Week honor for Hartwell and the first for an athlete from Texas Tech.
2018 USA Softball National Collegiate Players of the Week
Week 1 (Feb. 8-11): Vanessa Shippy – Oklahoma State – Senior – Infield – Coeur d’Alene, Idaho
Week 2 (Feb. 12-18): Kylee Hanson – Florida State – RS Senior – Pitcher – Jupiter, Fla.
Co-Week 3 (Feb. 19-25): Kelly Barnhill – Florida – Junior – Pitcher – Marietta, Ga.
Co-Week 3 (Feb. 19-25): Rachel Garcia – UCLA – RS Sophomore – Pitcher – Palmdale, Calif.
Week 4 (Feb. 26-March 4): Jessica Hartwell – Texas Tech – Junior – Infield – Galt, Calif.
About USA Softball
USA Softball is a 501(c)(3) not-for profit organization headquartered in Oklahoma City, Okla., and is designated as the National Governing Body (NGB) of Softball in the United States and a member of the United States Olympic Committee. One of the nation’s largest sports organizations, USA Softball sanctions competition in every state through a network of 69 local associations and has grown from a few hundred teams in the early days to over 150,000 teams today, representing a membership of more than 2 million. USA Softball is dedicated to providing people of all ages the opportunity to play the game they love at a variety of levels by offering recreational, league, tournament and competitive play for fast pitch, slow pitch and modified pitch. USA Softball annually conducts thousands of tournaments throughout the country including over 100 National Championships. The USA Softball umpire program is among the nation’s largest and are widely known as the best trained umpires in the game.
As the NGB for the sport of softball, USA Softball is responsible for training, equipping and promoting the six USA Softball National Teams that compete in events such as the Olympics, Pan American Games, World Championships and other international and domestic events. For more information on USA Softball, including its founding and history as the Amateur Softball Association of America (ASA), please visit,www.USASoftball.com<http://www.usasoftball.com/>.
About the NCAA Women’s College World Series
USA Softball Hall of Fame Stadium – OGE Energy Field serves as the home to the NCAA Women’s College World Series (WCWS). For the 28th year, the top eight college teams in the nation will head to Oklahoma City and compete for a national championship. Last year, over 70,000 fans attended the WCWS. Be there to Share The Experience with softball fans from across the country May 31-June 5/6 in Oklahoma City. Tickets for the 2018 NCAA WCWS are on sale now, click here<http://www.ncaa.com/tickets/softball/d1> to purchase your tickets and secure your championship experience!
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