INDIANAPOLIS - Kentucky Wesleyan and Walsh reaped the rewards for performances resulting in Great Midwest Athletic Conference Softball Players of the Week as announced on Tuesday morning.
 
Many teams are enjoying warmer weather while continuing their seasons in Spring Break destinations like Florida and Myrtle Beach, S.C.
 
There were some marquee moments throughout the week, including the very first four-home run game in conference history courtesy of Ursuline’s Leah Leshnack, who was playing in her contest since missing last season with an injury.
 
Leshnack went yard in all four at-bats against Nyack as the Arrows opened up the season with a win. A few players have hit two home runs in a single game, but no one for that matter has even hit three, before Leshnack’s historic moment.
 
Player of the Week
Meredith Daunhauer
Kentucky Wesleyan
Outfield
Junior
Evansville, IN (Mater Dei HS)
 
Daunhauer already has NCAA DII All-American credentials to highlight her career numbers and the former Great Midwest Freshman of the Year is picking up right where she left off.
 
As one of the key pieces to the puzzle for Kentucky Wesleyan’s conference title run and NCAA tournament appearance, the junior has proven to be one of the toughest outs for any pitcher to record leading the top of the order.
 
The Panthers are rolling as winners of six straight and seven of their last eight. KWC’s latest victims included Davenport, Dominican, Gannon (twice), Nyack, Concordia-St. Paul, and Saint Anselm.
 
Daunhauer hit .485 for the Panthers leading off, racking up 16 hits in 33 at-bats. She was successful on four stolen base attempts and scored six runs.
 
She had five multi-hit games, including three games with three singles in each for an on-base percentage of .485. In the 33 at-bats, she struck out just once.
 
Among all players in conference history with at least 250 at-bats and 200 plate appearances, Daunhauer is officially the Great Midwest’s batting leader at .439 (194-442). With almost two years to add numbers, she’s already third in hits (194), fifth in runs scored (98) and second in stolen bases (86).
 
Pitcher of the Week
Olivia Pifer
Walsh
RHP
Senior
Loveland, OH (Loveland HS)
 
Pifer dazzled once again in the circle to earn repeat pitcher of the week accolades. She racked up strikeouts in bunches, punching out 20 hitters over just 12.1 innings pitched.
 
Pifer made two starts and had a 0.57 ERA with a pair of winning decisions and a save.
 
She was perfect by all accounts against SUNY Delhi in her first start of the week in a five-inning gem with 10 strikeouts. The Cavaliers poured it on with 13 runs of offensive production to end it early.
 
Pifer retired all 15 batters she faced in order and didn’t allow one ball in the air with five ground outs and 10 K’s. Walsh staked her to a 4-0 lead at the end of the third inning and blew up for nine runs in the fourth frame.
 
Pifer improved to 3-1 with the perfect game. She came on for the final out to preserve an 8-6 final against rival Malone in non-conference action for the save, her first of the spring.
 
Pifer then worked seven strong innings against Glenville State with nine strikeouts in seven innings as Walsh improved to 6-2 on the spring. She gave up just one run on nine hits.
 
Pifer’s impressive season line through four starts and seven appearances features a 1.52 ERA with 32.1 innings pitched and 31 strikeouts. She has just given up seven earned runs and walked only six.