Elon Butler was named the national player of the week by Softball America on Apr. 7, following her recognition as Big Ten Conference’s player of the week.
The award highlights Butler’s standout performance over the weekend, during which she became the first player in Oregon Ducks program history to hit for the cycle in a single game. She also set both a Big Ten and school record with six hits in one game against Iowa and tied a program record by scoring four runs in that contest.
Butler’s statistics for the weekend included a .583 batting average, with one double, one triple, two home runs, and five runs batted in. Her slugging percentage reached 1.333 while maintaining an on-base percentage of .583. In addition to leading off with a home run during Friday’s series opener against Iowa—which ended in a 10-1 victory for Oregon—Butler’s efforts were crucial throughout Saturday’s game. She singled in the first inning, tripled in the second, homered in the fourth, and doubled during a pivotal seventh-inning rally that helped tie up what had been a four-run deficit.
Butler also contributed significantly by singling again with one out in extra innings before scoring what became the winning run on a sacrifice fly. Statistically this season, she leads both her team and conference categories including doubles (16), batting average (.437), runs (46), hits (52), home runs (12), RBI (48), slugging percentage (.924) and on-base percentage (.527).
Oregon is scheduled to play Maryland next for a three-game series starting Friday at 3 p.m., broadcasted on Big Ten Network.
In addition to Butler’s accolades this season—Softball America National Player of the Week and Big Ten Player of the Week—other Ducks have received honors: Lyndsey Grein was recognized as Wilson/NFCA National Pitcher of the Week on Mar. 24 while Taryn Ho earned Big Ten Freshman of the Week honors.
