April 21, 2008

Complete Release in PDF Format

IRVING, Texas - Marshall's Samantha Rodriguez and Houston's Jessica Valis share this week's Conference USA Softball Hitter of the Week award. Rodriguez went 11-for-19 (.579) with four multi-hit games, three doubles, three homes runs, seven RBI and four runs scored. Her efforts helped Marshall to a 4-1 week and a series win over Southern Miss. Valis was 13-for-18 (.722) at the plate and went 10-for-11 in Houston's C-USA series win at Tulsa. She recorded one triple to give her 12 for her career, a new program record. UCF's Allison Kime is the Pitcher of the Week. Kime led the Knights to a Conference USA series sweep over Memphis, picking up all three wins in the circle, including two shutouts, to move her record to 24-9 on the season and 12-3 in league play.

CO-HITTER OF THE WEEK (4/21)
SAMANTHA RODRIGUEZ - Marshall
RF, Sr., Oakley, Calif. (Freedom)
Rodriguez went 11-for-19 last week guiding the Herd to a 4-1 record. She was part of the Herd group that hit back-to-back-to back home runs, a first in program history, to defeat Morehead State, 3-1. The senior followed up with a 3-for-4 performance in game two against Southern Miss, and recorded the game-tying RBI in the top of the seventh inning. During the Southern Miss series, Rodriguez hit home runs in the first innings of both games during Saturday's doubleheader. In the rubber match against the Golden Eagles, Rodriguez went 2-for-4 with two RBI to lead the Herd to a 5-2 victory and a series win. Overall, she finished with seven RBI, three doubles and scored four runs. The weekly honor is the second of Rodriguez's career, her first in 2008.

CO-HITTER OF THE WEEK (4/21)
JESSICA VALIS - Houston
SS, Jr., Shiner, Texas (St. Paul)
Valis went 13-for-18 in five games last week for a .722 batting average. In the conference series against Tulsa, she was 10-for-11 and had a double to go along with a two-run triple in the Cougars 11-1 win over Tulsa on Sunday. The triple gave her 12 for her career which is a program best, passing the previous mark of 11 set by current assistant coach Kim Nesloney. The junior also has five triples this season which is two shy of the single-season record of seven she set last season. Her solid week at the plate improved her season batting average to a team best .422. In UH's five games she registered a .944 slugging percentage, a .737 on-base percentage and helped her team outscore Tulsa, 21-4. This is Valis' second career weekly honor, her first in 2008.

PITCHER OF THE WEEK (4/21)
ALLISON KIME - UCF
P, Sr., Brandon, Fla. (Hillsborough CC)
Kime led the Knights to a Conference USA series sweep over Memphis last week, picking up all three wins in the circle, including two shutouts, to move her record to 24-9 on the season and 12-3 in league play. In Sunday's series finale, Kime fell one hit short of a perfect game, holding the Tigers scoreless, while fanning seven and not allowing a walk. With her fourth strikeout in the contest, the senior broke the UCF single-season strikeout record of 266 that she set last season. With her 21 total strikeouts on the weekend, the hurler has 270 on the season and 758 for her career. In UCF's opening game on Saturday, Kime allowed only two hits while holding Memphis scoreless in a complete game. Kime appeared in relief in game two to pick up the win in the circle, fanning five in 3.2 innings of work. Kime now has 18 appearances this season in which she has not allowed an earned run. The weekly honor is the second for Kime in 2008 (Apr. 24) and the seventh of her career.