LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Oklahoma Christian utility player Kaylie Upton and Southern Arkansas’ Victoria Taylor were named the first 2019 Louisville/Slugger NFCA Division II National Player and Pitcher of the Week honorees. 

Upton keyed the Eagles to a 4-0 opening weekend by hitting .600 (6-for-10) with four home runs, 11 RBI and a 1.900 slugging percentage. The senior from Pauls Valley, Okla. homered in her first two at bats and finished 3-for-3 with five RBI and two runs scored versus Midwestern State. Upton’s bat stayed hot in game two against Texas Permian Basin, homering two more times and driving in another five runs. She drew six walks, five in the first two games against Western New Mexico and Chadron State, attributing to her .750 on-base percentage. Additionally, the Heartland Conference Player of the Week was 1-0 in the circle with a 1.00 ERA, four strikeouts and tossed two innings of a combined no-hitter against Permian Basin.

Taylor twirled a perfect game in her first start of the season against Southwest Baptist. She struck out 12 over seven innings in the fourth perfecto in program history. The junior right followed that with a one-hit, 13-strikeout performance in a complete-game victory over Rogers State. Taylor, the Great American Conference Pitcher of the Week, matched a career high with 13 punchouts. Over two starts, the Greenwood, Ark. native went 2-0 with a 0.00 ERA, 25 strikeouts, two walks and held her opposition to a .024 batting average.

Selected Top Performances
Bri Sims, Texas A&M University-Commerce (Lone Star POTW)- .375, 3 HR, 9 RBI, 3 BB, .476 OBP, .938, two game-winning RBI; Raven Vanden Langenberg, St. Cloud State (NSIC POTW)– .800, 8 H, 8 R, 3 2b, HR, 6 RBI, 4-4 SB, 1.400 SLG, .846 OBP; Cameron Davis, UNC Pembroke (Peach Belt POTW)– .778 (7-9), 5 2B, HR, 1.667 SLG, .818 OBP; Saidi Castillo, Texas A&M University-Kingsville (Lone Star PiOTW)– 3-0, SV, 12.1 IP, 0 R, 21 K, 2 BB; Kali Crandall, Oklahoma Christian (Heartland PiOTW)– 2-0, 1.27 ERA, 6 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 21 K, 3 BB, 11 IP; Kayla Sheffield, Lynn University (Sunshine State PiOTW)– 2-0, 2 SHO, no-hitter vs. Georgia Southwestern (2 K); Dominique Walker, Cal State San Bernardino (CCAA POTW)– .667, 9 H, 4 2B, 8 RBI, 1.083 SLG; Dream Aaron, Valdosta State (Gulf South POTW)– 2 HR, 2B, 5 RBI, 7 BB, 1.429 SLG, .714 OBP; Abby Killian, Lander (Peach Belt POTW)– 2-0, 0.95 ERA, 16 K, BB, 2 ER, 5 H; Hannah Davis, Newberry (SAC POTW)– .545, 4 HR, 10 RBI, .615 OBP, 1.727 SLG; Sydney Sullivan, Limestone (Conference Carolinas PiOTW)– No-hitter v. St. Andrews (10 K, 3 BB); Rebecca Gonzales, MSU Denver (RMAC POTW)– .500, 10 H, 4 2B, 3 SB, 6 RBI, . 700 SLG; Ali Steen, Concordia Portland (GNAC Player of the Week)– .667, 6 H, 3 HR, 7 RBI, 5 R; Emily Otto, Texas A&M University Commerce– 5 A ERA, 17 K, 1 BBP, 2 GS, 3-0, 1.05.