LOUISVILLE – Hardin-Simmons freshman pitcher Emily Hardaway was named the National Fastpitch Coaches' Association (NFCA) Division III Pitcher of the Week for April 2.

Hardaway (Midland, Texas/Midland HS) was dominant for the Cowgirls in the circle, going 3-0. She tossed a two-hitter against Division I Abilene Christian in a 2-1 win and allowed just one unearned run in the game. Then on the weekend she did not allow a run over nine innings of work against Sul Ross State, going 2-0 against the Lobos.

Hardaway joins Concordia Texas freshman infielder Hanna Contreras, Mary Hardin-Baylor senior pitcher Rebekah Ragsdale and East Texas Baptist senior pitcher Shelby Parker as the fourth ASC player overall and third pitcher to receive national recognition from the NFCA this season.

Six other ASC players received recognition from the NFCA for their outstanding play in last week’s competition.

Texas-Tyler sophomore pitcher Kelsie Batten (Huntington, Texas/Huntington HS) was dominant in two starts for the Patriots, tossing two complete games, totaling 11 strike outs while holding LeTourneau batters to a .130 batting average. Batten tossed 16 innings for the week, walked two and gave up one unearned run. She has now gone 23 consecutive innings without giving up an earned run.

Contreras (Austin, Texas/Lake Travis HS) hit .538 with a double, four home runs and eight RBI to lead the Tornados to a 3-2 week. Her 20 total bases translated into a 1.538 slugging percentage and she reached base at a .625 clip. Contreras tied the program's single-season record for home runs with her 11th last Saturday. She hit a home run in three of the five games last week and was responsible for all five of the Tornados' runs in last weekend's series with rival Mary Hardin-Baylor. She hit a go-ahead solo shot in the top of the seventh in the opening game of the doubleheader against the Cru last Saturday and led CTX to a 1-0 victory. Later that day, she hammered a pair of two-run dingers to give the Tornados a 4-3 come-from-behind victory over UMHB to earn the doubleheader sweep.

Ragsdale (Orange, Texas/West Orange HS) helped the Cru to a 3-2 record over the week, with a 2-1 personal record inside the pitching circle. Ragsdale opened the week leading the Cru to a 2-1 win over No. 5 Linfield, allowing just one run on six hits. She struck out six batters and walked just three Wildcats. Against Concordia Texas on Saturday, Ragsdale pitched a three-hit contest, giving up just one run in the Cru's 1-0 loss. She rebounded with an eight-strikeout performance against the Tornados on Sunday, allowing three hits in UMHB's 5-0 shutout of Concordia. Ragsdale totaled 18 strikeouts on the weekend with just five walks. She allowed only 12 hits in 21 innings of work for an opponent batting average of .158. Ragsdale allowed only four extra-base hits and knocked her ERA down to 1.52 for the season.

Mississippi College junior shortstop Macey Lee (Pearl, Miss./Pearl HS) led the Lady Choctaws with four doubles and one triple in a series win over Louisiana College. She leads the team with 10 doubles and set a school record with 34 career doubles. She opened up the scoring for MC in a 3-0 win over LC in game one, before hitting a double and one triple to help propel the Lady Choctaws to an 11-3 victory over the Lady Wildcats.

East Texas Baptist sophomore pitcher Kelly Jo McLendon (Livingston, Texas/Livingston HS) put together a strong week in the circle going 3-0 and picking up 13 strikeouts while only walking one batter in 67 batters faced. She threw a two-hit shutout against regional opponent Pacific Lutheran with four strikeouts in a 5-0 win. McLendon followed with another complete game win over Texas-Dallas (5-2) in game one with three strikeouts and her only walk of the week. She then came on in relief beginning in the fourth inning vs. UTD in the final game of the series and took the win in extra innings with six strikeouts while giving up only four hits. In two of the four innings she retired the side striking out the first three batters she faced. She had a 1.11 ERA on the week with three earned runs coming in the series vs. UTD.

ETBU freshman first baseman Lacey Lindsey (Leander, Texas/Leander HS) had another phenomenal week for the Tigers hitting three home runs with her last being a walk-off solo shot in the bottom of eighth inning to come from behind over Texas-Dallas (3-2) to sweep the series. She was 2-of-4 in the final game vs. UTD with a double and home run. Lindsey also hit a home run in the second game of the series leading to a 9-0 win over UTD. In the series sweep of regional opponent Pacific Lutheran, she had two of the five RBI in the 5-0 win singling in the first run in the first inning and a home run in the third inning for the 5-0 win. In the first game against the Comets, Lindsey singled in two RBI to put ETBU ahead 4-1 in the third inning give the Tigers insurance runs in a 5-2 win. Lindsey is now on a six-game hitting streak and has nine home runs on the year which is second in the ASC. For the week she had 16 plate appearances with no strike outs, a 1.125 slugging percentage and a .529 on-base percentage.

The NFCA Division III Player and Pitcher of the Week are selected by eight NCAA Division III head coaches representing the eight NCAA regions.