March 16, 2000

The Big 12 Conference recently released their selections for softball PLayer and Pitcher of the Week. Missouri players received almost half of the honors.

For the week ending March 5, the Big 12 selected Stacy Gemeinhardt as Player of the Week. The senior center fielder from Belton, Mo. hit .500 over three games, including a 3-for-4 effort with three RBI in a 7-2 win over Pacific. A seond-team All-Big 12 selection last season, Gemeinhardt went 6-for-12 for the week with two doubles, including the game-tying RBI double against Pacific. This is the second time in her career Gemeinhardt has received Player-of-the-Week honors. She also earned the award on Mar. 30, 1998.

For the week ending Mar. 12, strikeouts were the theme, as the Big 12 named co-Pitchers of the Week. Missouri junior Stephanie Falk led the strikeout charge while posting 52 in 27 innings work with a 3-1 record. The Beaverton, Ore. native lost 2-1 in eight innings to Southern Illinois as she posted a career-high 19 strikeouts, 18 in the first seven innings. Falk pitched three consecutive games with 10 or more strikeouts. Additionally, Falk allowed only one walk in the 27 innings work, getting back the form that made her second-team All-Big 12 in 1999. This marks the fourth time in her career Falk has received Pitcher-of-the-Week honors. She also earned the award on Feb. 16, 1998 and twice in 1999.

Gemeinhardt and Falk are the second and third Tigers to receive Pitcher- or Player-of-the-Week honors in the 2000 season. Freshman pitcher, Ingrid Werner, also earned the award on Feb. 22.