ORLANDO – On the heels of a 3-1 week for the (RV) UCF softball team, two of the main contributors in the squad's success have once again been recognized by the American Athletic Conference for their efforts.
First baseman Shannon Doherty and right-hander Sarah Willis have been named AAC Player and Pitcher of the Week, respectively, for their accomplishments during the period of April 10-16 that saw the Knights outscore their opposition by an aggregate 34-8 in four games against the FIU Panthers and Tulsa Golden Hurricane.
This week marks the first this season that the Knights have swept the conference's weekly awards, and Doherty and Willis have both been honored as Player and Pitcher of the Week for the first time this season.
Doherty was also named to The American's weekly Honor Roll for her work during the period of March 27–April 2, while Willis has already been named to the Honor Roll four times this season as well.
The Knights first baseman enjoyed a standout week at the plate and in the field, hitting for a .500 (6-for-12) average that was bested only by right fielder Chloe Evans' .571 mark. Doherty added an on-base percentage of .625, a 1.250 slugging percentage and an OPS of 1.875 to accompany her three home runs, nine RBI, 15 total bases and three walks. She was also perfect at first base, recording 29 putouts and two assists without committing an error.
Doherty's week was highlighted by her career day during UCF's 13-1 win over Tulsa April 16, during which she went 3-for-3 while recording her second career multi-home run game and collecting a career-high six RBI. She also went 2-for-2 with a walk, a solo home run and three RBI in the Knights' 9-1 win over FIU April 11.
Her standout week represents a microcosm of her offensive resurgence during the second half of the season. In 14 games since UCF's March 18 contest against then-No. 22 Arizona State, Doherty has produced a team-best .459/.588/1.000 (17-for-37) line with a 1.588 OPS, two doubles, six home runs, 17 RBI, 37 total bases and 11 walks.
Entering the Knights' weekend series against South Florida, she also boasts a .414 on-base percentage that trails only Aubrey Evans' .435 mark for tops on the squad.
Willis, meanwhile, continued her recent stretch of dominance in the circle with a trio of starts against FIU and Tulsa, during which she totaled 11.1 innings and posted a 1.24 ERA (2 ER) with 11 strikeouts and a batting average-against of just .214.
Her week was headlined by a strong performance against the Golden Hurricane April 14, when she tossed six innings of one-run ball, allowing only five hits while striking out eight. Her eight punchouts fell one shy of tying her season-high nine against Fresno State March 2.
Willis also produced a stingy effort against FIU April 11, holding the Panthers scoreless over four innings while yielding only three hits and striking out two.
Like Doherty, Willis' week encapsulates a larger stretch of supremacy in the circle produced by the junior transfer. In her 18 appearances (12 starts) since the Knights' Feb. 23 doubleheader against Gardner-Webb, Willis has posted a team-best 1.25 ERA (67.1 IP, 12 ER), issuing just 25 walks against a team-leading 65 strikeouts. She has also limited opposing hitters to a team-low .174 batting average-against in that span.
UP NEXT
The Knights return home from their three-game series in Tulsa for their second conference home series of the season, as well as the final iteration of the War on I-4 as members of The American, against the South Florida Bulls this weekend. First pitch in game one of the series is slated for 6 p.m. Friday evening from the UCF Softball Complex.
