Ward, Epping Named CCIW Softball Players of the Week

Ward	Epping

NAPERVILLE, Ill. -- Allison Ward of Illinois Wesleyan and Kelsey Epping of Carthage were named College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin
(CCIW) Softball Players of the Week Tuesday after their performances during the previous week of competition.

Ward, a sophomore infielder from Bloomington, Ill., and Normal Community High School, batted .360 (nine-for-25) as the Titans were 6-2 overall and 5-1 in CCIW games last week en route to clinching the conference championship for the second straight season. Ward had a .600 slugging percentage with four doubles, a triple and drove home eight runs with four two-hit games. She was four-for-six with three RBI in a doubleheader win over Wheaton on April 19 and was three-for-seven with three RBI in a split against North Central on April 17. She also had two hits in the first game of a doubleheader against Wisconsin-Whitewater.

Epping, a sophomore pitcher from Bloomington, Ill., and Tri-Valley High School, went 4-0 last week in four starts with a 1.30 earned run average and 37 strikeouts in 27.0 innings pitched. Opponents batted just .182 against her. She gave up only three hits in a 14-0 win over Wheaton on April 16, and won a 7-6 decision over Millikin on April 19, giving up only three of the six Big Blue runs. She also defeated Augustana 6-1 on April 20, striking out nine Viking batters with no walks while giving up only five hits and one earned run.

2008 CCIW Softball Players of the Week

Hitter of the Week
Allison Ward - Illinois Wesleyan (4/22/08)
Amanda Bowlin - Elmhurst (4/15/08)
Kaylee Noll - North Central (4/8/08)
Allison Ward - Illinois Wesleyan (4/1/08)
Ashley Deck - Illinois Wesleyan (3/25/08)
Laura Constantine - North Central (3/18/08)

Pitcher of the Week
Kelsey Epping - Carthage (4/22/08)
Jenna Prieto - North Central (4/15/08)
Christy Engel - Illinois Wesleyan (4/8/08)
Kim Hegna - Wheaton (4/1/08)
Kelsey Epping - Carthage (3/25/08)
Jenna Prieto - North Central (3/18/08)