RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. – East Central’s Emily Kennemer (pictured left) and Henderson State’s Melissa Decker (pictured right) have been named the inaugural Great American Conference Softball Player and Pitcher of the Week, respectively, for their efforts in the opening week of the 2012 season.
 
GAC SOFTBALL PLAYER OF THE WEEK
East Central senior first baseman Emily Kennemer earns the first ever GAC Softball Player of the Week award after leading the Lady Tigers to a pair of wins to start the 2012 campaign. The Mesquite, Texas native finished the week with a .571 batting average after going 4-for-7 at the plate in wins over Abilene Christian and Angelo State in the St. Mary’s University Tournament in San Antonio, Texas. She started the week with a 2-for-3 performance with a two-run homerun and two runs scored in a 6-3 win over Abilene Christian last Thursday. On Friday, Kennemer went 2-for-4 with a run-scoring single in the first inning and a double to spark a two-run fifth in ECU’s 8-7 win over Angelo State. She finished the week with a 1.143 slugging percentage, a .625 on base percentage and a perfect fielding percentage with 17 putouts and one assist.

GAC SOFTBALL PITCHER OF THE WEEK
Henderson State senior pitcher Melissa Decker tossed a complete-game three-hitter to record her first victory of the 2012 season in a 4-1 win over No. 20 Midwestern State at home this past Sunday to earn the first ever GAC Softball Pitcher of the Week award. Decker went the full seven innings in the circle against the Mustangs, striking out six, walking just two and allowing only one run, which was unearned.

NOTABLE NOMINEES
- Taelor Wheeler, SR, 2B, Southern Arkansas (.444 batting avg. (4-for-9), 1 HR, 1 2B, 3 runs scored, .889 slugging pct. in a 2-1 series win over TX Woman’s)
- Hanna Gill, FR, P, Southern Arkansas (2 complete-game wins over Texas Woman’s, 14 innings, 16 hits allowed, 5 strikeouts)
- Ali Manship, JR, P, East Central (Complete-game 6-3 win over Abilene Christian, 7 innings, 4 hits allowed, 5 strikeouts, 1 walk)