April 13, 2015

ST. LOUIS, Mo. - Missouri State freshman centerfielder Erika Velasquez Zimmer earned the Missouri Valley Conference Newcomer of the Week award, the league office announced on Monday afternoon (April 13), her first career weekly honor.

Velasquez Zimmer was nearly unstoppable at the plate hitting a robust .700 with a team-high seven hits over the weekend against Loyola. She blasted her first career home run, a second-inning grand slam that broke open the series opener against the Ramblers. She had multiple hits in all three games and has recorded multiple hits in five-straight games. Velasquez Zimmer is on a current eight-game hitting streak, six of which were multi-hit games. She also drew two walks for a .750 on-base percentage and was successful in all three stolen base attempts.

In the field, she made a pair of spectacular catches in centerfield on Saturday. She made a running grab as she crashed into the fence in the second inning of game one. Then in the fifth inning, she robbed a home run in straight-away center with a leaping snag.

On the year, Velasquez Zimmer is second in the league with 16 stolen bases and seventh with a team-high .364 batting average. In league play, she tops the Valley with nine steals and is sixth with a .438 batting average.

The Bears head out on a five-game Valley road swing beginning with a 3:00 p.m. doubleheader at Wichita State on Wednesday (April 15). MSU will then travel to Illinois State for a three-game series next weekend. The Bears return to Killian Stadium on April 22 with a 5:00 p.m. game against Wichita State to begin the final home stand of the season.

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