Emporia’s Sprinkle, Winona’s Kleman earn final Louisville Slugger/NFCA Division II weekly honors of 2018

LOUISVILLE, Ky. –  Emporia State’s Danielle Sprinkle and Winona State’s Jordyn Kleman garnered the final Louisville/Slugger NFCA Division II National Player and Pitcher of the week recognition of 2018 for contests played April 23-29.

Sprinkle played a pivotal role and was the offense’s table setter in eighth-seeded Emporia State’s run to a 2018 Mid-American Intercollege Athletic Conference championship and a berth into the NCAA Tournament. In the first inning of three of their four wins, the senior first baseman knocked in the first run of the game. She finished the five contests with a .714 average (10-for-14), two doubles, a home run and seven RBI.

In their opening upset of top seed Washburn, Sprinkle drove in the game’s first run and scored in the 3-0 victory. She also knocked in the first run in victories over Lindenwood and Central Oklahoma. In the championship clincher against the Bronchos, she was 4-for-4 with an RBI. A native of Salina, Kan., Sprinkle went 3-for-3 with a homer and three RBI in a wild 11-10 win over Northwest Missouri.

Kleman recorded three complete game victories, including a perfect game, to help No. 5 Winona State clinch its fourth Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference regular season title and first since 2007. Her perfecto came in a five-inning win over Minnesota State Moorhead in which she fanned 11 of 15 batters faced.

Kleman struck out 14, allowed a run on five hits and did not walk a batter in a 2-1 win over Northern State. She also struck out six in a complete-game effort against Concordia St. Paul. Fort the week, the La Crosse, Wis. Native was 3-0 with a 1.47 ERA with 31 strikeouts to just on walk in 19 innings of work.

Top Performances

Lani Van Zyl, Winona State– .722, 13 H, 4 2B, HR, 8 RBI, 8 R; Robyn Wampler, UC San Diego– 2-0, SV, 0.88 ERA, 25 K, 3 BB, 9 H, .167 opp BA; Ashley Hardin, West Texas A&M– .750, 9 H, 2 2B, 4 HR, grand slam, 10 RBI, 1.917 SLG; Lakyn Wagoner, Illinois Springfield– .615, 8 H, 3 2B, 2 HR, 6 RBI, 6 R, 1.308 SLG; Kilee Halbert, West Texas A&M– 2-0, 0.64 ERA, SHO, 3 H, R, 2 BB, 11 K, 11 IP, .083 opp BA, no-hitter vs. Eastern New Mexico; Sarah Ingerick, Gannon– .563, 9 H, 2 2B, 3 HR, 8 RBI, 9 R, 1.250 SLG, .611 OBP; Bekah Slattery, Lock Haven– 3-0, SV 3 SHO, 0 R, 6 H, 34 K, 22 IP; Rachel Griffin, Davenport– .550, 11 H, 2 2B, 2 HR, 12 RBI; Mariah Jameyson, Texas A&M University-Commerce– 1.000 (3-for-3), 10 BB (9 IBB), 1.000 OBP, 2 HR, 5 RBI, 3.000 SLG; Michaela Hynes, Palm Beach Atlantic– .500, 6 H, 2 HR, 7 RBI, 2 R, 1.167 SLG; Makayla McCarthy, Wilmington– .438, 7 H, 2B, 3B, 2 HR, 10 RBI, 3 R, 1.000 SLG, .500 OBP; 2-0, 0.41 ERA, SV, SHO, 22 K, 2 BB, 6 H, 17 IP; Ashton Adkins, Palm Beach Atlantic– 2-0, SV, 0 R, SHO, 5 H, 10 K, 13.2 IP, .109 opp BA; Maggie Hall, Bloomsburg- .619, 13 H, 5 2B, HR, 8 R, 4 RBI, 0 K, 2 BB, 2 SB; Amanda Gjertsen, Concordia Irvine– .429, 9 H, 2 HR, 8 RBI, 0 K; Jayda Alaan, Academy of Art– .625, 5 H, 2 2B, HR, 11 RBI, 7 R, 1.250 SLG, .733 OBP; Kylee Smith, North Georgia– 2-0, 0.42 ERA, SV, SHO, 2 CG, 18 K, 3 BB, 7 H, 16.2 IP; Melanie Murphy, Florida Tech– 2-0, 0.58 ERA, 12 K, 1 BB, 1 H, no-hitter vs. Lynn; Brooke Harner, West Chester– 2-0, 2 SHO, 15 K, 6 H, 14 IP; Emilee Downing, California– 2-1, SV, SHO, 1.67 ERA, 36 K, 29.1 IP, 6 app.