April 23, 2009
San Antonio – St. Mary’s University softball player Arlynda Flores was named Heartland Conference Hitter of the Week for the fourth time this season for her play last week against Lincoln University and Tarleton State University, it was announced by the league office on Thursday.
Flores (Jr., Uvalde) took over the national lead in homeruns in NCAA Division II with 23 over the weekend. She has a one homerun lead over Sandy James of Angelo State University and Jessika Anastos of the University of Colorado-Colorado Springs. Flores is also now just one homerun away from Elizabeth Beyer’s current school record of 24, set in 2005. Flores has at least six more games to try to break the school record and the national record of 28, set by Carmen Paez of Florida Gulf Coast in 2007.
Last week, Flores helped St. Mary’s to three wins. She hit .357 with a double, two homeruns, nine RBI and two runs scored. She had a hit in three of the five games and an RBI in four of the five games. Against regionally ranked Central Oklahoma she went 1-for-1 with a two-run double and two walks. In the third game against Lincoln she took over the national lead in homeruns, smashing two, while driving in four runs and scoring two more. For the season she is hitting .385 with 11 doubles, 23 homeruns, 64 RBI and 46 runs scored. On the mound this season she is 12-11 with a 4.74 ERA, nine complete games, two shutouts and 79 strikeouts in 172.2 innings of work.
Flores a junior from Uvalde is quite the student-athlete. She’s scoring big off the field as well as an Honor Roll student with a 3.67 GPA majoring in exercise and sports science.
Flores’ honor marked the ninth time this season that a Rattler has earned Heartland Conference honors. Flores received Hitter of the Week honors for the fourth time this season. Taryn Munoz (Jr., Bulverde) is the only Rattler to earn Pitcher of the Week recognition. Kelly Baker (So., Arlington) twice, while Heather Monroe (Jr., New Braunfels) and Sade Moore (Sr., Angleton) have each been named once.
The Rattlers are 28-28 overall and 19-5 in Heartland Conference. St. Mary’s will return to action on Friday when they host the University of the Incarnate Word in a doubleheader at Rattler Field starting at 4 p.m. St. Mary’s is currently second in the Heartland Conference standings, just one game behind St. Edward’s University. Incarnate Word is three games behind St. Edward’s and two games behind St. Mary’s.