April 20, 2015

Lovelace and Robbins Garner Crossroads League Awards

HARTFORD CITY, Ind. – Alex Lovelace and Hannah Robbins of Taylor softball have swept the Crossroads League weekly awards after helping the Trojans to a 6-0 record on the week. Lovelace was named Player of the Week and Robbins took home Pitcher of the Week honors.

Each player has now received the recognition twice in 2015, as both players earned their respective distinction from February 23 through March 1 following wins over Cumberland and Tennessee Wesleyan.

Lovelace was exceptional on the week as the leadoff hitter for Taylor. In six games played the returning Crossroads League Player of the Year and 2nd Team All-American batted .667 (14-21) from the plate with a slugging percentage of 1.048. The sophomore also had four doubles, two triples, seven RBI and nine runs scored as Taylor improved to 28-12 overall and 22-6 in league play.

Lovelace had a hit in every game and two or more knocks in five of the six competitions. In the away series with Huntington, Lovelace went 1-4 with a run scored in the 10-1 win in the opener before going 2-4 with both an RBI and a run scored in the 2-1 victory in the series finale. In that second game with the Foresters Lovelace came through in the clutch multiple times, first with a two-out, RBI triple in the fifth to plate the game tying run. Later in the seventh, Lovelace once again had a two-out triple prior to coming across to score the game's winning run after a double from Anna Gunderson. A diving catch from the rangy center fielder in the seventh was the final out of the contest, as Lovelace kept Huntington from likely plating the game tying run with a runner in scoring position at second base.

In two wins over Saint Francis at home, Lovelace went a perfect 6-6 from the dish with a walk, two doubles, three runs scored and two RBI to lead the way for the Trojans. Finally, in two dominant wins over Spring Arbor Lovelace continued her torrid pace, going a combined 5-7 with a double, two RBI and two runs scored in each game for the Taylor cause. Lovelace now ranks No. 9 in the NAIA in hits per game (1.575) and is seventh in the Crossroads League with a .444 batting average on the season.

Robbins had an outstanding week from both the circle and the batter's box for the Trojans. The All-Crossroads League selection from a season ago claimed three wins in her three starts, posting an ERA of just 0.82 with 14 strikeouts while conceding just nine hits and two total runs in 17 innings pitched.

Robbins was excellent in the 2-1 win in game two over Huntington, throwing a complete game and holding the Foresters to just one run on three hits and a walk while notching four strikeouts. Robbins continued to deal in her next start against Saint Francis in another complete game performance in the 8-0 Taylor victory. The Cougars had just two baserunners in the contest on a single and a walk, as the right-handed pitcher was in control throughout.

In her final start of the week against Spring Arbor, Robbins threw the first four innings of a five-inning game as Taylor had established a 12-1 lead through four. Robbins picked up six more strikeouts in this one as she kept the Cougar offense at bay with five hits allowed and one earned run. Robbins also produced well from the plate on the week, batting .389 with a double, a home run, five runs scored and six RBI.

Taylor (28-12, 22-6 CL) will next play on Senior Day at Gudakunst Field Wednesday, April 22 against Mount Vernon Nazarene. Game one will begin at 3:00 pm.