Rentschler, Knapp Earn MAC West Honors
4/28/2015 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Andy Sneddon, CMUChippewas.com
MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. -- Central Michigan's Rachael Knapp and Katelyn Rentschler were honored by the Mid-American Conference on Tuesday for their respective performances over the weekend.
Rentschler was named the MAC West Player of the Week and Knapp earned the MAC West Pitcher of the Week Award. It is the fourth time this season that Knapp, a sophomore from St. Joseph, has been so honored.
Rentschler, a junior first baseman from Etiwanda, Calif., collected eight hits including three home runs and Knapp notched two wins and a save as the Chippewas swept a doubleheader from Western Michigan and split a twin bill with Northern Illinois.
Rentschler had two homers in a 9-1 victory over Western Michigan on Friday and a solo shot in a 2-1 loss on Sunday to NIU. She hit .727 with a 1.636 slugging percentage in the four games and leads the Chippewas with 10 home runs and 32 RBI. She ranks second on the team with a .342 batting average.
Knapp, a sophomore right-hander, appeared in all four of the Chippewas' games over the weekend, logging 19 2/3 innings. She allowed six runs on 14 hits with 20 strikeouts and three walks.
She pitched a complete game in the opener against Western on Friday, a 9-1 CMU win, then came out of the bullpen to notch the save in the Chippewas' 4-3 victory in the nightcap.
She again came out of the bullpen on Sunday to go 4 2/3 innings in earning the victory in a 10-7 CMU win over NIU.
Knapp is 14-8 on the season with four saves and a 2.22 earned run average. She is tied for first in the MAC in saves and ranks fourth in ERA.
