PORTLAND – The Pacific Coast Softball Conference announced its Player and Pitcher of the Week awards, for the week of Feb. 22-March 1, the conference office announced Tuesday evening. Cal State Bakersfield junior first baseman Ryane Petersen was named Player of the Week and Saint Mary’s sophomore right-hander Britany Linton was named Pitcher of the Week for the Coastal Division. Northern Colorado sophomore catcher Erin Wilkinson was named the Mountain Division Player of the Week and Idaho State junior right-hander Kandis Clesson was named Mountain Division Pitcher of the Week.
Petersen went 6-for-12 with two doubles and four RBI to help the Roadrunners to a 3-1 series win over Utah Valley this past weekend. She also scored two runs. The Fresno, Calif., native went 2-for-4 with two RBI in an 11-6 win in game two on Saturday. In the series finale on Sunday, Petersen went 2-for-2 with doubles and two RBI in an 8-0 victory. Petersen’s two doubles helped Cal State Bakersfield tie a school single-game record with six two-baggers in the game. For the season, Petersen is hitting a team-best .390 with two home runs and 13 RBI in 13 games. She is tied for first in the PCSC in home runs, ranks first in RBI and is fifth with a .695 slugging percentage.
Linton went 2-1 with a 3.00 ERA in three appearances, including two starts, to help the Gaels to a 3-1 record at this past weekend’s Wolf Pack Classic in Reno, Nev. She allowed eight runs, seven earned, on 12 hits and five walks in 16 1/3 innings. Linton worked 10 1/3 innings to earn a pair of wins on Sunday. Linton allowed two runs on five hits and one walk, striking out three, in throwing a complete game in the 7-2 win over Southern Utah. She then worked 3 1/3 innings of relief in the Gaels’ 9-7 victory over the Wolfpack. Linton allowed five runs on six hits and two walks, while striking out five, over six innings in a 5-1 loss to Nevada on Monday. Linton has made eight appearances this season, including four starts, going 4-3 with a 2.17 ERA.
Wilkinson batted .474, going 9-for-19, with one home run and four RBI in seven games for Northern Colorado. She also scored six runs and recorded two doubles to post a .737 slugging percentage. The Greeley, Colo., native had three hits in the Bears’ 13-11 win over New Mexico on Sunday. For the season, Wilkinson is hitting .394 with one home run and five RBI, and is tied for the team lead with nine runs scored.
Clesson earned both of the Bengals’ wins in their doubleheader sweep of the College of Idaho, ranked No. 15 in NAIA, on Sunday. Clesson allowed one unearned run on four hits and no walks, while striking out six over five innings in the 10-1 win in game one. In the nightcap, Clesson allowed one run on three hits and two walks, while striking out five in four innings of relief to earn the decision in the 11-3 victory over the nightcap. For the season, Clesson has made seven appearances, including four starts, posting a 3-2 mark with a 4.30 ERA.
Other Nominations:
Coastal Division Player of the Week: JR OF Tiffany Gonzales, Saint Mary’s.
Coastal Division Pitcher of the Week: SR RHP Shawn Traun, CS Bakesfield.
Mountain Division Player of the Week: FR OF Charlee Cisneros, Utah Valley; JR DP/C Brittany Olsin, Idaho State.
Mountain Division Pitcher of the Week: JR RHP Kyli Flanary, Utah Valley.
PCSC NOTEBOOK
SACRAMENTO STATE: Due to expected inclement weather in the Sacramento-area, the Hornets’ Wednesday doubleheader against Nevada has been postponed until next Wednesday at 1:00 p.m., at Shea Stadium. The twinbill was to be the Hornets’ 2010 home opener. Sacramento State will now open its’ home schedule with a doubleheader Friday at noon against Charlotte, as part of the Hornet Round Robin.
SAINT MARY’S: The Gaels finished the Wolf Pack Classic with a 3-1 record, with two wins over Southern Utah and a split with tournament host Nevada … JR OF Tiffany Gonzales hit a two-out walkoff homerun in the bottom of the ninth to lift the Gaels over Nevada on Sunday (9-7). Gonzales was 4-for-12 on the weekend and knocked in a team-high 6 RBI's in four games … In Monday's win over Southern Utah, freshman Whitney Heuser came up with bases loaded to knock in the game-winner on a fielder's choice to third.