April 6, 2010

NAPERVILLE, Ill. - Utah Valley's Megan Gardner and South Dakota's Mel Johnson have been named Great West Conference Softball Player and Pitcher of the Week, respectively, after outstanding performances last week. The honors were announced Tuesday by the conference office.

Gardner, a junior second baseman from Lehi, Utah, received the honor after hitting .714 in a doubleheader sweep of Utah State last week. Gardner went 1-for-3 for .333 in the first game, a 3-1 victory over the Aggies who had defeated No. 1 Washington earlier in the season. In the nightcap, Gardner batted 1.000 (4-for-4), including a three-run homer in the first inning, to get the Wolverines started on their way to a 13-4 win. She ended the doubleheader with two runs, four hits and four RBI.

Johnson posted a 2-0 record on her way to the pitcher of the week award with a 2-1 victory over Seattle and a 3-2 win over Simon Fraser. For the week, the junior from Sioux Falls, S.D., recorded a 1.50 ERA and struck out seven batters in the two games.

Others nominated were Houston Baptist's Jaymie Heibel (UT) and Jammie Weidert (P), North Dakota's Lindy Sippola (IF) and Erica Younan (P) and South Dakota's Alexa Rudeen (1B).