Feb. 19, 2008

Contact: Brian McCann

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. - After sweeping all four games to claim the team title at the UNC-Greensboro Spartan Classic over the weekend, the Viking softball team recorded another sweep today, as senior Whitney Willard was named the Horizon League Player of the Week and sophomore Amanda Macenko garnered Horizon League Pitcher of the Week honors. The league office announced the weekly awards on Monday.

The award marks the fifth time in Macenko's short playing career that she has received the honor while Willard claims the award for the first time.

"I am very happy for both Amanda and Whitney," second-year head coach Angie Nicholson said. "We had a great weekend in North Carolina and these two definitely led the way. It is a good sign for things to come.

Willard, a left fielder from Nova, Ohio, showed no ill signs from the concussion that kept her out of the lineup for the final 13 games in 2008. In the four games, she went five-for-10 (.500) with four RBI, three runs scored and three stolen bases.

The leadoff hitter in all four games, Willard drove in a pair of runs in the 8-0 season-opening win over James Madison. She came back the next day to drive in the only run in a 1-0 victory over Maryland-Baltimore County. She saved her best for last, going three-for-three with an intentional walk, scoring once and driving in a run in the 5-1 win over Central Michigan.

Macenko dominated from the circle during the entire tourney, going 3-0 with a save. She threw 20 innings, allowing just one run (unearned), striking out 24 while walking four and giving up just eight hits.

Macenko started the tourney by throwing a one-hit shutout in a 8-0 win over James Madison in five innings. She then came off the bench later in the day to throw the final inning to earn a save in the 2-1 win over Niagara.

On the second day of the tourney, Macenko struck out 12 and allowed just three hits as the Vikings nipped Maryland-Baltimore County, 1-0. She was tabbed to be the starter on the final day as well, allowing an unearned run on four hits while striking out four in a 5-1 win over Toledo.

The Vikings will take a week off from competition before resuming play at the Eastern Kentucky Invitational from March 1-2.