Olea named Big Sky co-Player of the Week
2/15/2017 2:56:00 PM | Softball
After going 10 for 16 in five games last weekend at the Ramada UNI-Dome Classic in Cedar Falls, Iowa, Montana senior Bethany Olea has been named the Big Sky Conference co-Player of the Week.
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The Grizzlies went 2-3 at the season-opening tournament, with wins over South Dakota State and Toledo. Olea opened the season on a five-game hitting streak, with three multiple-hit outings.
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"I felt really comfortable at the plate," said Olea, who earned Player of the Week honors one time last season. "We work a lot on hitting, and I like to get my time in and make sure I'm doing quality work when we're practicing."
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Olea shared this week's award with North Dakota's Taylor Nadler, who hit .385 as the Fighting Hawks went 4-1 at the Louisiana Tech Invitational.
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UND's Kaylin VanDomelen earned Big Sky Pitcher of the Week honors. In 14 innings of work at Louisiana Tech, VanDomelen did not give up an earned run.
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Montana's lone senior, Olea started all five games last weekend at third base and batted four times in the cleanup spot, once at No. 5.
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She went 3 for 3 in the opener, a 7-4 loss to Nebraska-Omaha, and also had multiple-hit games against Northern Iowa and Toledo.
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Her RBI double, her second of the game, in the top of the seventh against Toledo that drove in Delene Colburn was the game-winning run in Montana's 8-6 win.
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Ten times in five games Olea came up with runners on base, a result of batting behind MaKenna McGill, who reached base 15 times at the tournament, Sydney Stites and Colburn.
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"It forced pitchers to have to pitch to me," said Olea, who led Montana in batting last season with a .408 average. "That was nice. I got to see a few pitches and come up with runners on base."
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Olea hit .625 at the tournament, with a team-leading five runs batted in. She had three doubles, a home run and scored four runs, and finished with a 1.000 slugging percentage.
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Montana will play five games this week -- two on Friday, two on Saturday, one on Sunday -- against Seattle and Santa Clara at the Bronco Classic in Santa Clara, Calif.
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The Grizzlies went 2-3 at the season-opening tournament, with wins over South Dakota State and Toledo. Olea opened the season on a five-game hitting streak, with three multiple-hit outings.
Â
"I felt really comfortable at the plate," said Olea, who earned Player of the Week honors one time last season. "We work a lot on hitting, and I like to get my time in and make sure I'm doing quality work when we're practicing."
Â
Olea shared this week's award with North Dakota's Taylor Nadler, who hit .385 as the Fighting Hawks went 4-1 at the Louisiana Tech Invitational.
Â
UND's Kaylin VanDomelen earned Big Sky Pitcher of the Week honors. In 14 innings of work at Louisiana Tech, VanDomelen did not give up an earned run.
Â
Montana's lone senior, Olea started all five games last weekend at third base and batted four times in the cleanup spot, once at No. 5.
Â
She went 3 for 3 in the opener, a 7-4 loss to Nebraska-Omaha, and also had multiple-hit games against Northern Iowa and Toledo.
Â
Her RBI double, her second of the game, in the top of the seventh against Toledo that drove in Delene Colburn was the game-winning run in Montana's 8-6 win.
Â
Ten times in five games Olea came up with runners on base, a result of batting behind MaKenna McGill, who reached base 15 times at the tournament, Sydney Stites and Colburn.
Â
"It forced pitchers to have to pitch to me," said Olea, who led Montana in batting last season with a .408 average. "That was nice. I got to see a few pitches and come up with runners on base."
Â
Olea hit .625 at the tournament, with a team-leading five runs batted in. She had three doubles, a home run and scored four runs, and finished with a 1.000 slugging percentage.
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Montana will play five games this week -- two on Friday, two on Saturday, one on Sunday -- against Seattle and Santa Clara at the Bronco Classic in Santa Clara, Calif.
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