Weekly Award Winners: Groves, Brooks, Hall Earn Player of the Week Honors

Top Stories D1Softball Staff - March 19, 2024

Player of the Week: Sydney Groves, Boise State

In four games of a weekend tournament, Groves was about as red-hot as possible at the plate. She batted 6-15 on the weekend, scoring six runs and driving in 14 through the course of the weekend. Against St. Thomas on Friday, her three-run home run opened the scoring for Boise State and jump-started the Broncos’ comeback win. In the second game of Friday’s doubleheader, this one against Idaho State, Groves was 2-4 at the plate with another 3-run home run to her credit. She hit a pair of longballs in a win over Santa Clara on Saturday and closed the weekend with a 6th-inning grand slam also against Santa Clara on Sunday.

Pitcher of the Week: Katie Brooks, Kansas

KU’s junior pitcher played a hearty role in her team’s 5-0 week, picking up three wins in the circle and helping lead the Jayhawks to a weekend sweep over Baylor. On Wednesday, as part of a doubleheader sweep over Wichita State, Brooks allowed six hits in a complete game victory with four strikeouts to her credit. Throwing back-to-back games against Baylor on Saturday and Sunday, Brooks allowed eleven combined hits, but threw twelve shutout innings and notched five strikeouts en route to a 2-0 personal record against the Bears as part of her team’s series sweep.

Freshman of the Week: Peyton Hall, Utah Valley

Hall hit .471 in week six, with a pair of home runs and eleven RBIs to her credit. She scored five runs and notched a pair of doubles, while also earning a pair of walks. Currently riding an 11-game hitting streak that dates back to February 24th. Friday’s series-opener against Tarleton State set a number of career bests for the first-year infielder. Her first-inning 2-run shot started the scoring for UVU, then a second-inning RBI double gave the Wolverines their first lead of the game. A 4th-inning two-run home run gave Hall her first multi-home run game at the collegiate level and moved her to a career-best six RBIs in the game.