ST. LOUIS, Mo. – Freshman Erika Hansen (Fillmore, Calif./Moorpark) has been named the Missouri Valley Conference Newcomer of the Week for the third time this year and sophomore Jaelen Hull (Clifton, Ill./Bishop McNamara) has been tabbed the MVC Pitcher of the Week according to an announcement by the league office Monday.
The duo helped highlight a 4-1 week for the Braves, which included a midweek come-from-behind victory against I-74 rival Illinois State and taking two of three games from league-leading Drake in the final home series of the 2015 season.
Hansen is the second player in Valley history to earn MVC Newcomer of the Week honors three times after garnering the award earlier this month and once in late February. She hit .444 with three doubles, four runs and two RBI in the five games. Hansen reached base all four times in Tuesday's 6-5 victory against Illinois-Chicago, going 2-for-3 with two doubles, two runs and a walk to open the week.
In Wednesday's walk-off victory against Illinois State, Hansen was 3-for-4 with a run. She gave the Braves a 4-0 lead in Saturday's 6-4 setback to league-leading Drake with a RBI single in the third. With an eight-game hit streak on the line, Hansen delivered an eighth-inning bases loaded single to drive in the game-winning run in a 3-2 victory over the Bulldogs. Later in the day, she helped the Braves complete a doubleheader sweep of Drake, going 1-for-4 with a double and a run as she tallied her 19th double of the year for the most doubles in the Missouri Valley Conference since 2000. She enters the final week of the regular season with a season-best 10-game hit streak.
Hull earned MVC Pitcher of the Week honors for the first time in her career and the Braves have had two different individuals earn Valley Pitcher of the Week honors in the same season for the first time in program history.
Hull factored in three of Bradley's four victories last week, boasting a 1.27 ERA to go with a 2-0 record and one save in three appearances. Tuesday against Illinois-Chicago, the Flames had the bases loaded with one out in the seventh of a one-run game when Hull took over in the circle. She got a strikeout and fly out against UIC to earn her team-best second save of the year.
Against Illinois State Wednesday, Hull came out of the bullpen to shut down the Redbirds as the Braves rallied for an 8-7 victory. With Bradley trailing 7-6, Hull entered the game to get the final out of the fifth and held Illinois State to just one hit over the final 2.1 innings to help the Braves rally for a walk-off victory. In her final home outing of the season, Hull earned a complete game, eight-inning victory as the Braves collected another walk-off win with a 3-2 victory against league-leading Drake. She struck out a career-best nine batters in the win and gave up two earned runs to the Bulldogs.
In her two years on The Hilltop, Hull boasts a 6-2 record with a save and 2.12 ERA in 14 career appearances at Laura Bradley Park. This season, she was 4-1 with a save and impressive 1.41 ERA in nine outings as she helped the Braves to a record 12 victories at Laura Bradley Park.
Bradley Softball closes out the 2015 regular-season schedule with a three-game series at Evansville, opening the set with a noon doubleheader Saturday.
