Simon Fraser University's Sammie Olexa was named the Great Northwest Athletic Conference women's softball player of the week on Monday.
The Clan third baseman had a stellar weekend, slapping seven hits at 13 at-bats, including back-to-back walk-off homeruns in a doubleheader sweep of the Central Washington Wildcats at Beedie Field in Burnaby last weekend.
Olexa finished SFU's four-game sweep with nine runs batted in and a 1.385 slugging percentage, doubling twice and going deep three times.
"It's so exciting to be named player of the week," said Olexa in a Clan press release. "I was really trying to be more aggressive at the plate last weekend. I wanted to do a better job with pitch selection and just find a pitch that I could drive."
Olexa appears to be doing just that. To date the sophomore infielder is currently batting 0.438 with 20 RBIs and five homers.
"Sammie has been working hard on her swing of late and it paid off in having a great weekend on the diamond by any measure," said Clan head coach Mike Renney in the same release. "I expect two walk-off home runs in the same day will be a memory that will be with her for some time. She is a bright light in our program with substantial upside. Being in only her sophomore year, and being as good as she was this weekend, we have yet to see the best of her."
Olexa clubbed the game-winning dingers in SFU's 2-1 and 8-5 wins over Central Washington on Sunday to sweep the weekend series.
Olexa broke a pitcher's duel in the opening game, smashing a two-run home run in the seventh inning to straightaway centre field, cashing in baserunner Megan Durrant for the win.
In the second game, SFU overcame a 5-2 deficit in the bottom of the seventh, tying the score and sending the game to extra innings following a solo homer from Leah Riske and a two-run double by Trisha Bouchard.
In the following inning, Kelsey Haberl walked and Riske singled, setting up Olexa for her second straight game-winning round-tripper.
On Saturday, the Clan snapped a three-game losing slide with a pair of wins against the visiting Wildcats.
SFU opened with a 12-1 win before taking the second game by a 3-1 score.
Olexa smacked a bases-loaded double in the third inning to stretch the Clan's lead to 7-0. Starting pitcher Cara Lukawesky allowed just one hit to post the win.
The third-year chucker also posted wins in SFU's two games on Sunday to boost her record to 12-3 this season.
Kelsie Hawkins got the start in the second game Saturday and earned her sixth win of the year.
Lauren Mew stole home on a passed ball in the third inning, while singles by Carly Lepoutre and Riske drove in the winning runs in a two-run fifth.
This weekend, the Clan host an exhibition tournament with crosstown rival University of British Columbia and Great Falls at Beedie Field, beginning at noon Saturday.
