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Bowling Green State University Athletics
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April 14, 2003 | Softball
April 14, 2003
CLEVELAND, Ohio - Bowling Green State University freshman Liz Vrabel has been named the Mid-American Conference Pitcher of the Week, the conference office has announced. She earns the honor for the third time in her Falcon career, and the third time in as many weeks. Additionally, BGSU junior catcher Jenifer Kernahan has been selected as the MAC Player of the Week, earning conference weekly honors for the first time in her career.
Vrabel, a native of Allison Park, Pa. (North Allegheny HS), had a 3-0 record and an earned-run average of just 0.33 on the week, allowing only one earned run in 21 innings of work. She pitched three complete games, upping her total to 13 this year.
Vrabel had a pair of four-hitters in wins over Miami Wednesday (April 9) and Ball State Saturday (April 12), allowing no earned runs in each case. She came back to pick up another victory vs. BSU Sunday (April 13), allowing one earned run and seven hits.
In that Sunday game, the earned run allowed by Vrabel was her first in 38 1/3 innings.
On the week, Vrabel allowed opponents to hit just .190 against her. This season, she now has a record of 11-6 and a 1.25 ERA. Vrabel leads the Falcons in wins, ERA, appearances (21), starts (15), complete games, shutouts (seven), innings (106.1) and strikeouts (98). Opponents are batting just .185 against her on the year.
Vrabel has won her last five decisions, and is 5-0 with an ERA of just 0.19 in the month of April.
Kernahan, a native of Perrysburg, Ohio (Perrysburg HS), hit .500 as the Falcons went a perfect 5-0 last week to increase the team's current winning streak to nine games. Kernahan led the Falcons in batting average, hits (seven), at-bats (14) and on-base percentage (.563), and tied for the team lead in doubles (two), walks (two) and RBI (four) on the week.
Kernahan went 4-for-5 in the Miami doubleheader, including a 3-for-3 performance with a pair of doubles in the first game. She saw a six-game hitting streak come to an end Sunday at Ball State, but drew a walk and scored a run in that win.
In the field, Kernahan was perfect in 25 fielding chances in the five games. On the season, she is now hitting .295 with a team-high 21 RBI. Kernahan is batting .325 with a BG-best 10 RBI in MAC games.
Vrabel shared pitcher-of-the-week honors for the West Division with Western Michigan's Laura Stewart, while Kernahan earned the division's player of the week outright. Kent State's Rachel Testa and Kate Leary earned player- and pitcher-of-the-week honors, respectively, for the East Division.
BGSU's two MAC weekly honors are the fifth and sixth for the Falcons this season to date. Junior Jody Johnson was the MAC Pitcher of the Week on Feb. 24, while freshman Lindsay Heimrich earned player-of-the-week honors on March 18 and Vrabel garnered pitching honors in each of the last two weeks (March 31 and April 7).
The Falcons, 18-17-1 on the season and 9-5 in MAC play, are idle until hosting a three-game weekend series vs. the University of Akron. BGSU will meet the Zips in a Friday (April 18) game beginning at 3:30 p.m., followed by a Saturday (April 19) doubleheader at 1:00 p.m. at the BGSU Softball Field.
