LOCK HAVEN, Pa. - The Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference announced its Softball Athletes of the Week. In the East, Shippensburg's Dani Hayward was named Athlete of the Week while East Stroudsburg's Sarah Davenport was selected as Pitcher of the Week. In the West, the duo of Slippery Rock's Alexsa Hurd and California's Kaitlyn Achtermeier were named Co-Athletes of the Week, with California's Cheyenne Beayon (Pitcher) also recognized.
Eastern Division Athlete of the Week
Dani Hayward
Shippensburg
Pitcher / Designated Player
Freshman
Hamburg, Pa. / Berks Catholic
In a 5-1 week for the Raiders in which the team secured a PSAC Tournament berth, Hayward went 3-0 with three complete games and a 0.33 ERA as a pitcher while going 6-for-17 (.353) at the plate with a double, two RBIs, five runs scored, four successful sacrifice bunts, a stolen base, and a .450 on-base percentage (two walks and a HBP). At the plate, she reached base three times in the doubleheader split with Kutztown, including a key double and an RBI with a bases-loaded walk. As a pitcher, Hayward allowed just one earned run (four total runs) in 21 innings, throwing three complete games and winning all three games - with the final being a 3-2 win at No. 19 Kutztown that officially got SU in the playoffs. In her 21 innings, she only allowed one extra-base hit, walked just two, and struck out 17.
Eastern Division Pitcher of the Week
Sarah Davenport
East Stroudsburg
Pitcher
Sophomore
Hillsborough, N.J. / Hillsborough
Over the course of 21 innings, Davenport struck out 39 batters with a 0.00 ERA, going 3-0 with three complete games, including two shutouts, while holding hitters to a .122 batting average. During the week, Davenport set program single-season records for shutouts (10) and wins (27).
Co-Western Division Athlete of the Week
Alexsa Hurd
Slippery Rock
Infielder / Pitcher
Senior
Suffield, Ohio / Field
Hurd led The Rock to a 7-2 week batting .333 and slugging .758 with 14 RBIs, four home runs, two doubles, six runs, and a stolen base. Hurd went 3-for-7 in a split vs. Pitt-Johnstown with a double and two RBIs before going 3-for-8 in a sweep at IUP the next day. Hurd tallied five RBIs at IUP with a home run and a double. Her outstanding week continued in a 3-for-8 showing at Edinboro that came with four RBIs and two home runs. Her game-winning runs at Edinboro clinched Slippery Rock its first PSAC West regular season title in program history. She was celebrated on SRU's Senior Day in a 2-for-6 sweep over Cal, in which she hit one home run and racked up three RBIs. Her home run against Cal simultaneously broke Slippery Rock's all-time home runs record (41) and RBI record (154). It also tied her for first all-time with 186 career hits.
Co-Western Division Athlete of the Week
Kaitlyn Achtermeier
California
Second Base
Senior
Gilford, Ontario / Bill Crothers
Achtermeier totaled nine extra-base hits and 14 RBIs over eight games last week, as the Vulcans earned five wins in four doubleheaders to secure a berth in the PSAC Tournament. She posted a .423 average (11-for-26) and a 1.000 slugging percentage while hitting No. 5 in the lineup. On Wednesday, Achtermeier belted a pair of homers with five RBIs and three runs scored in a doubleheader sweep at Edinboro. The Ontario native registered seven hits (five doubles, homer), nine RBIs and two runs scored on Senior Day versus IUP on Saturday. Achtermeier delivered the walk-off RBI double with two outs in Game 2, as the Vulcans scored five runs in the bottom of the seventh to earn a 15-14 victory against the Crimson Hawks.
Western Division Pitcher of the Week
Cheyenne Beayon
California
Pitcher
Junior
Owings Mills, Md. / Mount de Sales Academy
Beayon posted a 2-0 record in three appearances last week, as California secured a berth in the PSAC Tournament while playing four doubleheaders. She finished with a 2.14 ERA over 11.2 innings pitched in three appearances. Beayon worked 6.0 scoreless innings with five strikeouts on Thursday in a 9-0 win in Game 2 at Clarion. The Maryland native also earned the victory after working 2.2 innings of relief in Game 1 of doubleheader at IUP on Saturday.