PORTLAND, Ore. – Following a standout week where she helped to lead the Montana State University Billings softball team to five victories in six games, Bryn Lucht was recognized as the GNAC's Player of the Week for the second time this season, as announced by the conference on Monday.
 
Lucht's selection came after helping lead the Yellowjackets to one of the program's most successful weeks in the past few seasons, taking five wins, including four straight victories, across a two-game series against Black Hills State, and a four-game series to open GNAC play against Simon Fraser. The sophomore outfielder made her presence felt against both opponents, reaching base in all six games and combining to slash .500/.636/1.500 with five home runs, eight RBIs, seven runs and a double, along with drawing six walks, and playing perfect defense in the outfield.
 
"Bryn has been locked in the past few weeks at the plate," said MSUB head coach Joe Yegge. "She has a great mindset and understands what she is looking for. Her hard work in the fall is really paying off."
 
Lucht and the Yellowjackets opened the week last Wednesday with a doubleheader sweep over Black Hills State. Lucht would draw a walk in game one's victory, before reaching base four times in the second game, hitting 2-2 with a pair of walks. She would collect a run and an RBI in the game, both coming off her solo home run in the sixth inning. Lucht would then bring her hot bat into the 'Jacket's first conference series of the season, hitting a home run in both games on Friday against Simon Fraser. She would bat 2-4 in the opening game of the day with a pair of runs and RBIs. The bulk of her damage would be done on a two-run home run in the fifth inning, which proved pivotal for MSUB in what would become the team's final runs in a 12-11 victory. In the following game, Lucht reached base three times after hitting 1-2 with a pair of walks, sending another solo shot over the fence in the fifth inning of that game to help MSUB build on it's cushion in a 6-4 victory. Then in the series final games Saturday, Lucht would begin the day by reaching base one time with a walk in game one, before going off in game two, hitting 3-4 with three runs and four RBIs. Lucht would collect the first multi-home run games of her career, with her first blast coming in the opening inning before smacking a three-run shot in the third to give MSUB a 10-0 lead in what would become a 12-3 mercy rule victory for the Yellowjackets.
 
Following last week's action. Lucht currently carries a streak of reaching base in ten consecutive games, longest on the team for MSUB. She currently leads the GNAC in OPS (1.479), slugging (.931), and home runs (8), while ranking third in batting average at .431 for the season.
 
Lucht and the Yellowjackets (8-14, 3-1 GNAC) are set to play six more games this week, beginning with a trip to Missoula to face off against University of Montana on Wednesday, March 19 beginning at 12 PM, before returning home for another four game GNAC series, this time taking on Central Washington University. Live coverage links for all Yellowjacket softball action can be found online here.