April 7, 2014
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Center fielder Lexi Knief (Ramsey, N.J.) pulled in the first Big Ten honor of her career on Monday as she was named the conference's Player of the Week for her efforts on the field. The sophomore went 10-for-18 at the plate through five games last week, registering seven runs, three RBI, a double, a triple and her first collegiate home run to help the Nittany Lions to four straight wins.
Knief posted at least one hit in all five games and multiple hits in four of the contests against Saint Francis (Pa.) and conference foe Michigan State, helping the Blue and White to a 4-for-5 effort on the week and a series sweep of the Spartans. She was a single away from hitting for the cycle in the final game at MSU as she turned in each of her extra-base hits in one contest.
The Ramsey, N.J. product has been an offensive powerhouse for the Nittany Lions all season as she leads the team in eight different statistical categories, including batting average (.392), at-bats (97), runs (30), hits (38), triples (4), total bases (53), walks (18) and on base percentage (.487).
Knief is atop the conference standings in triples and ranks in the top 10 in the league in on base percentage (6th), runs scored (8th) and batting average (9th).
The last player to earn Big Ten Player of the Week accolades was former Lion Cassidy Bell on Feb. 18, 2013. Penn State (10-22, 3-6 Big Ten) continues its six-game road swing this weekend with a three-game series at Indiana. The Lions and the Hoosiers open the series on Friday at 5 p.m.