Speers Sweeps National Player of the Week Honors
3/29/2016 5:02:00 PM | Softball
KENT, Ohio - Kent State sophomore shortstop Holly Speers was named the National Player of the Week by both the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) and USA Softball, the organizations announced Tuesday (March 29) afternoon. The awards come one day after earning her first career Mid-American Conference East Division Player of the Week accolade.
Speers set a NCAA Division I record for most consecutive home runs by homering in her final five at-bats of the week, breaking the previous record of four by Jill Iacono of Canisius.
"This past week was amazing," said Speers, who learned of her record-breaking performance Sunday morning. "I am playing the game I love and seeing the ball well, and it led to something special. It's an honor to receive such recognition for this accomplishment. It would not have been possible without my teammates, who constantly support one another. They played a huge role, and I am excited to see how far our team will go this year."
The Golden Flashes' cleanup hitter was terrific throughout the week, as she batted .714 with five home runs, 10 RBIs, seven runs scored, seven walks, a 2.857 slugging percentage and a .857 on-base percentage to lead her team to a 3-1 record.
However, it was her final five at-bats of the week that have created a national buzz and placed her name in the NCAA record book. Unlike Iacono, who homered four times against Saint Francis on April 5, 2002, Speers' record has spanned four games and came against three different pitchers. She has drawn six walks in each of her other plate appearances during the streak, including one intentional walk.
It started with a solo shot in the seventh inning Tuesday night at UCF. After drawing a walk in her first trip to the plate during Friday's MAC opener against Central Michigan at the Diamond at Dix, Speers sent a 0-2 pitch over the left field fence for a grand slam to give Kent State a 4-0 lead in the third inning. Anticipating an outside pitch the next time she stepped in the box, Speers crushed a ball over the wall in right field in the fifth inning.
Speers showed patience at the plate and drew two more walks in the opening game of Saturday's doubleheader against the Chippewas before finally seeing the pitch she liked and blasting it to straightaway center in the fifth. She walked in her first three plate appearances of the series finale. The record-setting blast came in the sixth inning, as Speers sent a three-run shot to left field for a 9-0 walk-off victory.
"Holly is a very smart hitter," said Kent State interim head coach Eric Oakley. "Every swing she takes has a purpose. She pays attention to every at-bat in a game, not just her own. This week was the culmination of a lot of factors, but mostly just a lot of her hard work paying off. The addition of the David and Peggy Edmonds Baseball and Softball Training Facility has provided us with our own space to get in the cages year-round and has paid dividends on the field."
The Surrey, B.C. native is nearing a few more NCAA Division I records. Speers also homered in last Sunday's game against LIU Brooklyn at the USF Spring Break Tournament in Clearwater, Fla., giving her a home run in five consecutive games. That streak is tied for seventh all-time. Arizona State's Kaitlin Cochran holds the record of seven in 2002.
Speers has reached base in 11 consecutive plate appearances, which is tied for fifth in NCAA Division I history. Florida State's Maddie O'Brien holds the record by reaching 18 straight times in 2014.
The first Kent State student-athlete to receive Player of the Week honors from USA Softball, Speers is the second to be recognized by the NFCA. Emma Johnson was named Louisville Slugger/NFCA National Pitcher of the Week on April 28 of last year after throwing 22.1 scoreless innings, including three shutouts, a no-hitter, a one-hitter and a two-hitter.
Kent State (20-7, 3-0 MAC) returns to action on Wednesday in doubleheader action at Robert Morris beginning at 3 p.m. and then heads to DeKalb, Ill. for a three-game series with Northern Illinois.
SPEERS' WEEK AT A GLANCE
3/22 at UCF: 1-3, 1 R, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 1 BB
3/25 Central Michigan: 2-2, 2 R, 2 HR, 5 RBI, 1 BB
3/26 Central Michigan: 1-1, 2 R, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 2 BB
3/26 Central Michigan: 1-1, 2 R, 1 HR, 3 RBI, 3 BB
