DALLAS – For just the third time in program history – and first time as a Conference USA member – WKU Softball has had student-athletes collect both Pitcher of the Week and Player of the Week honors on the same day. Kelsey Aikey repeated as the league's top pitcher while Jordan Vorbrink earned Co-Player of the Week recognition, Conference USA announced Monday.
After being named Conference USA's Pitcher of the Week last Monday, Aikey quickly made a case for back-to-back honors on Wednesday when the junior held 17th-ranked Kentucky's potent offense at bay, allowing just three Wildcat hits en route to her first of three wins on the week. Unfazed by the daunting UK lineup, Aikey carried a no-hitter into the third inning of WKU's midweek victory and struck out a trio of Wildcats while allowing just one run as WKU picked up its first win over a ranked team since 2015.
The Iowa native carried her dominance into the Hilltoppers' weekend series against Florida Atlantic – a squad predicted to finish second in the Preseason Coaches Poll. Aikey got the nod for the series opener and set the tone for the weekend as she posted a career-high 11 strikeouts in just five innings of work, striking out the side on three of her five trips to the dirt. She allowed just three hits en route to her second win of the week before coming in for 4.0 innings of relief work on Sunday to secure the Hilltoppers' third series sweep in as many chances. Despite allowing her first earned runs in league play, Aikey still owns C-USA's best mark in conference play at 1.07. She closed the weekend with a 19-to-9 strikeout-to-walk ratio while allowing just eight hits across 13.0 innings of work on the week.
"What a great moment and accomplishment for Aikey to earn Pitcher of the Week back-to-back weeks," head coach Amy Tudor shared. "She was focused and rock solid in the circle. Aikey put on one of her best performances at Kentucky and followed it up with two great showings this weekend in C-USA play."
Across her last nine appearances, Aikey has racked up a 6-0 record along with two saves. She's allowed just four runs – earned or unearned – in that 28.2-inning stretch with 45 strikeouts and just 15 hits allowed.
Aikey is just the third WKU pitcher to ever earn back-to-back weekly honors. Miranda Kramer achieved the feat during the 2015 campaign in Conference USA while Emily Rousseau was the first to do so back in March 2013.
As for WKU's first-ever C-USA Player of the Week, Vorbrink led the Hilltoppers in every way possible across the eighth week of the season as WKU posted a perfect 4-0 week including a statement road win at No. 17 Kentucky. Playing every inning of action in left field across the week, Vorbrink was just as steady at the plate as the Louisville native connected for at least one hit all four games in addition to registering a pair of multi-hit performances.
"Very exciting that Vorbrink is our first-ever C-USA Player of the Week," Tudor said of the senior's accomplishment. "She is well deserving of this honor with her performance at UK that she carried into this weekend. Jordan has been consistent and steady at getting on base for us while her .500-plus batting average in C-USA is the best in the league, which is very impressive."
Vorbrink's steady hand got the Red and White in the hit column against Kentucky's ace on Wednesday. After the senior struck for an RBI knock in WKU's series opening vs. Florida Atlantic, the Owls opted to walk her in her final two at bats. Finally getting pitches to hit again, Vorbrink made the Owls pay in game two with a 2-for-2 performance while adding a sac bunt that moved the Hilltoppers' second run of the 2-0 win into scoring position to eventually add the insurance run. The senior came back Sunday and continued where she left off with a 2-for-3 performance including her third double of the season. Vorbrink hit .600 on the week to add to her scorching C-USA-best .579 average in league-only games.
The weekly recognition is the first of Vorbrink's career at WKU or Louisville. She's the first Hilltopper to her Player of the Week honors since Katrina Metoyer did so on May 6, 2013 from the Sun Belt Conference.
The standout performances of Aikey and Vorbrink helped WKU Softball improve to a program-best 9-0 in league play. WKU's best start to conference play prior to the 2019 campaign came during Tudor's first season on The Hill in 2014 at 6-0. With a 26-5 start to the season, the Hilltoppers are also off to the team's best-ever start.
How to Follow the Hilltoppers: For complete information on WKU Softball, follow the team on Twitter at @WKUSoftball, Instagram @WKU_Softball and Facebook /WKUSoftball.
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