The National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) has named Des Moines Area Community College (DMACC) softball player Josie Swafford the NJCAA Division II Pitcher of the Week for the Week of March 25 to 31.
Swafford, a freshman from Wellston, Okla., has also been named Division II Pitcher of the Week for the Week of March 25 to 31 by the Iowa Community College Athletic Conference (ICCAC) for the third time this season. She was also honored by the ICCAC for the weeks of March 4 to 10 and March 11-17.
Swafford is the first DMACC player to be honored by the NJCAA this season. She is the third DMACC softball player to be honored by the ICCAC, joining freshman Maddie Karr of Center Point and sophomore Mia Ruther of Burlington. Karr was named ICCAC DII Player of the Week for the weeks of March 4 to 10 and March 11 to 17. Ruther has been named ICCAC DII Player of the Week for the Week of March 25 to 31.
Swafford pitched three games during the week, recording a no-hitter, a one-hitter and a two-hitter. Her no-hitter came in a five-inning, 13-0 win over Southwestern Community College (SWCC) on March 31. Swafford struck out eight and walked one as she improved to 8-1 for the season.
Swafford pitched a one-hitter in a 12-0 win over the Simpson College junior varsity on March 27, striking out two and walking one, and her two-hitter came in a 21-0 win over Marshalltown Community College (MCC) on March 26. She struck out 13, walked one and helped her own cause with three hits and five runs batted in.
Swafford is currently 10-1 with an 0.96 eared run average. She has pitched eight complete games, allowed nine runs on 34 hits with 92 strikeouts and 18 walks. She is averaging 9.86 strikeouts per seven innings. Swafford leads the ICCAC in ERA, is tied for second in wins and is second in strikeouts.
Swafford has also helped the Bears at the plate with a .396 batting average, a .491 on-base percentage and a .545 slugging percentage. She has 17 hits in 44 at-bats, including five doubles and one triple. She has driven in 20 runs and scored 14 runs.
The DMACC softball team, ranked fourth in the NJCAA Division II poll, is 23-4 this season and leads the ICCAC at 6-0. The Bears, who have won 10 consecutive games, are scheduled to face Northeast (Neb.) Community College (NENEB) in a doubleheader April 5 at the DMACC softball diamond. DMACC swept a doubleheader from NENEB April 1 at Norfolk, Neb., winning by scores of 13-0 and 14-2.