Krista Menke Picks Up Summit League Softball Co-Pitcher of the Week Honors

ELMHURST, Ill. - IPFW's Alex Bousquet, North Dakota State's Krista Menke and Southern Utah's Danielle Axe were named The Summit League's Softball Player and Pitchers of the Week for their performances April 9-15. Menke was also named the College Sports Madness.com Summit League Player of the Week.

PITCHERS OF THE WEEK
Krista Menke, North Dakota State
Fr., RHP
Friend, Neb./Friend
Menke captures her fifth career Pitcher of the Week award after going undefeated (3-0) on the week with three complete games. The freshman pitcher started the week off striking out 10 Coyotes with no walks and one earned run, for her second double-digit strikeout performance of the season. She came back in game two of the doubleheader fanning four more batters, while allowing one walk and two earned runs.  In the series finale, she threw her ninth shutout and eighth two hitter of the season, in the 3-0 win over South Dakota with nine strikeouts and one walk.  On the week, Menke fanned 23 hitters, while yielding 11 hits, three earned runs and two walks in 21 innings of work for a 1.00 ERA.  With her honor, she ties the second-most in a season in league history.

Also nominated: Megan Flenniken, IPFW; Jocelyn Oppenhuis, IUPUI; Deanne Friese, UMKC; Brittany Doyle, Oakland; Erica Denney, South Dakota.

Danielle Axe, Southern Utah
Jr., LHP
Missoula, Mont./Mesa State
Axe collects her first career Pitcher of the Week honor after throwing a no-hitter against IPFW and posting a 2-1 record on the week.  The junior left-handed pitcher recorded her first win of the week with an 11-10 extra-inning victory in relief against UNLV.  She then threw a no-hitter against IPFW to record SUU's lone win of the series, striking out five batters and walking one.  For the week, Axe tallied 10 strikeouts, while allowing seven earned runs and three walks in 12.2 innings.

Previous winners: Feb. 13 - Whitney Johnson, North Dakota State; Feb. 20 - Deanna Friese, UMKC; Feb. 27 - Cinda Ramos, UMKC; March 4 - Heather Black, Southern Utah; March 12 - Courtney Cronin, IPFW & Krista Menke, North Dakota State; March 19 - Krista Menke, North Dakota State; March 26 - Krista Menke, North Dakota State; April 2 - Krista Menke, North Dakota State; April 9 - Deanna Friese, UMKC.

PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Alex Bousquet, IPFW
So., SS
Mishawaka, Ind./Mishawaka Marian
Bousquet garners her first career Player of the Week honor after helping the Mastodons post a 4-1 record on the week, including a series win over Southern Utah.  She also tied the school record for runs scored in a season with 35.  The shortstop tallied at least one hit in four out of five games, including three-straight multi-hit games.  In a non-league doubleheader sweep of Toledo, she went 3-for-7 with five RBI, three runs scored, a homer and a double.  To open the series against the Thunderbirds, the sophomore was a perfect 3-for-3 at the plate with five RBI, three runs scored, a homer and a stolen base.  In the series finale, she added another hit, run and a stolen base.  For the week, Bousquet batted a .467 (7-for-15) with 10 RBI, seven runs scored, three walks, two homers, two stolen bases, a double and a .600 on-base percentage.

Also nominated: Lindsey Richards, IUPUI; Kaelene Curry, UMKC; Jamie Gay, North Dakota State, Erika Polidori, Oakland; Alexa Rudeen, South Dakota; Kadi Henderson, Southern Utah; Jamie Goss, Western Illinois.

Previous winners: Feb. 13 - Sammy Marshall, Western Illinois; Feb. 20 - Amanda Grable, North Dakota State; Feb. 27 - Mikkel Griffin, Southern Utah; March 4 - Courtney Cronin, IPFW; March 12 - Mikkel Griffin, Southern Utah; March 19 - Tessa Loewen, Southern Utah & Sammy Marshall, Western Illinois; March 26 - Jamie Goss, Western Illinois; April 2 - Mikkel Griffin, Southern Utah & Sammy Marshall, Western Illinois; April 9 - Morgan Hancock, South Dakota.