ATHLETES OF THE WEEK

Kathy Michel

School: Cape Central

Sport: Softball

Coach: Don Lang

This season: Michel, a right-hander, is 14-4 with a 1.23 earned run average. She has faced 493 batters in 119.67 innings pitched, allowing 82 hits, 32 walks and 38 runs (21 earned). She has struck out 53, recorded three shutouts, and among her 18 starts, she has 14 complete games. Michel also has two saves.

Week report: On Sept. 21, Michel recorded her first career no-hitter -- and Central's first in six years -- in a 5-1 win at Mehlville. Michel went seven innings, walked one, hit one, struck out two and allowed one unearned run. On Sept. 23, Michel gave only four hits in a 3-1 complete-game victory over Hillsboro, and the next day, she was touched for only three hits in a 10-1 romp over Poplar Bluff. On Saturday, Michel was the winner in a 10-7 win over Kelley, yielding five hits and only two earned runs over seven innings.

Coach's comments: "She's a Michel. (Pitching) kind of runs in the family (of five Michel children, two have been baseball pitchers and two softball pitchers). Kathy is a competitor. When she walks on the field, she has one thing in mind: getting people out. She throws hard and hits her locations, and our defense has done a great job behind her."