MU’s Sami Fagan adds national weekly softball honor
One day after being tapped as the SEC softball player of the week, Missouri junior Sami Fagan was chosen Tuesday as the National Fastpitch Coaches Association’s national player of the week.
She is the fourth Tiger and only second position player to earn the honor in program history.
Sophomore pitcher Tori Finucane was the last to achieve national player of the week honors last season.
Fagan, a second baseman and catcher, batted a robust .647, going 11 of 17 with three home runs, three doubles, a triple and 12 RBIs in five games, all wins, last week.
During the middle game of a three-game sweep Saturday, Fagan blasted a pair of home runs, her second multi-homer game of the season.
The Tigers are ranked No. 15 in the USA Today/NFCA rankings and No. 17 in the ESPN.com/USA Softball poll, which were released Tuesday.
Closer Williams added to watch list
Missouri closer Breckin Williams has been added to the National Collegiate Baseball Writers of American stopper of the year midseason watch list.
Williams, a junior right-hander from Oronogo, Mo., is one of three SEC relievers on the list, which is given annually to the nation’s top relief pitcher.
He joins freshman right-hander Tanner Houck, who was added to the Golden Spokes midseason watch list earlier in the month.
Williams is 4-1 with a 1.96 ERA and 10 saves for the Tigers, who are 9-3 in one-run games. He has earned a win or save in all nine of those victories.
Five finalists for the stopper of the year award will be announced June 3.
MU, which is ranked No. 14 in the latest Baseball America poll, is tied atop the SEC East division standings with Vanderbilt and Florida.
The Tigers battle the Commodores in a three-game series that begins Friday in Nashville.
To reach Tod Palmer, call 816-234-4389 or send email to tpalmer@kcstar.com. Follow him on Twitter at @todpalmer.
This story was originally published April 21, 2015 at 4:48 PM with the headline "MU’s Sami Fagan adds national weekly softball honor."