ECAC Announces Softball Players of the Week for Week Ending April 22.

4/24/2018 12:35:35 PM

DANBURY, Conn. – The Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) has announced the Softball Players of the Week for the week ending April 22.

DIVISION II
Player of the Week
Skania Lemus – Sr., INF, Mercy College

Skania Lemus batted an impressive .633 (19-for-30) with four home runs, 16 RBIs, 10 runs scored, three doubles and one triple as Mercy College went 7-1. The senior had multiple hits in each of Mercy’s eight games on the week. She opened the week going 6-for-8 with three home runs and six RBI in Mercy’s sweep of Georgian Court University on Tuesday. She then went 4-for-7 with two runs in the Mavericks sweep of Saint Thomas Aquinas College on Wednesday. Lemus went 5-for-8 on Senior Day against STAC with eight RBIs and a home run. The senior capped off the week going 4-for-8 with two more RBIs in the Mavericks split with LIU-Post.

Pitcher of the Week
Madi Beining – So., P, Gannon University

Madi Beining went 2-0 in the circle last week. She tossed her fifth shutout of the season with a three-hit complete game in the 7-0 win against California University of Pennsylvania, striking out a season-high five batters. Beining then earned her 10th win of the season in a 7-2 victory over Seton Hill University. The sophomore struck out four and scattered four hits in the contest.

Rookie of the Week
Jovanna Hillman – Fr., C, University of New Haven

Hillman closed out a 5-1 week with a .556 average, combining for a team-high 10 hits in 18 at bats while driving in seven runs, tied for the most on the team. Among her 10 hits were four extra base knocks, three doubles and her team-best ninth home run of the season. She also walked four times and scored four runs, sporting a .889 slugging percentage and a .636 on base percentage.

DIVISION III - Metro
Player of the Week
Diana King – Jr., OF, New York University

King had at least one hit in all six New York University games last week, including three multi-hit games. She batted .450 (9-for-20) with five runs scored and seven RBIs. Seven of her nine hits went for extra bases (four doubles, three triples). She also stole two bases, walked three times, had a .522 on-base percentage, a .950 slugging percentage and produced a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage as the Violets went 5-1, including 3-1 against conference-opponent Brandeis University.

Pitcher of the Week
Ashley Blydenburgh – Sr., P, St. Joseph’s College- Long Island

Went 2-0 in the circle in conference play with a 0.58 ERA, limiting the opposition to a .174 batting average and striking out 13 hitters in 12 innings pitched. In her first game of the week, a 3-1 win over Farmingdale State College, Blydenburgh pitched 7.0 innings allowing six hits while striking out six. Later in the week against Yeshiva University, the senior pitched 5.0 innings, allowing only two hits while striking out seven.

Rookie of the Week
Linda Rizzo – Fr., P, FDU-Florham

Earned a win and a save in three appearances while recording a 0.00 ERA over 12 innings of work. She pitched a complete-game (7-inning) shutout in a 3-0 win over Wilkes University while scattering five hits, striking out three and walking just one. Rizzo then pitched three scoreless innings to earn the save in a win over Centenary University. The rookie also pitched two scoreless innings in relief in game one of the doubleheader with Wilkes. Rizzo finished the week with five strikeouts and just one extra base hit allowed.

DIVISION III – North
Player of the Week
Brittany Staltare – So., C, SUNY Canton

Staltare had a monster week hitting .733 (11-for-15) with a home run, two doubles and six RBIs as the Roos went 4-0 last week. She went 8-for-9 scoring four times and driving in five runs with a home run and a double in a Saturday sweep at SUNY Delhi (17-8, 7-6). The sophomore belted a solo shot to center field in the top of the seventh to break a 6-6 tie and earn SUNY Canton the 7-6 win in game two on Saturday. Staltare followed that up with a 3-for-6 performance scoring once and driving in another run in a Sunday sweep over the Broncos (12-2, 12-0) as swept the weekend series.

Pitcher of the Week
Talia Loda – Sr., P, Springfield College

Talia Loda, a senior pitcher for Springfield College, was dominant in her four appearances this week, as she pitched 22.0 innings, picking up three wins, 12 strikeouts, and producing an ERA of 0.95. All three of Loda's wins were via complete games, as she also came in and pitched 3.0 innings of relief to seal a 2-1 win for Springfield College over Westfield State University.

Rookie of the Week
Brianna Holder – Fr., C, Misericordia University

Was impressive last week hitting .524 (11-for-21), slugging 1.048 and a .545 on-base percentage. Holder finished the week with 12 RBIs, seven runs scored, two home runs, three doubles, a triple, a walk and two stolen bases. She had at least one hit in every game. In a win over Manhattanville College, Holder went 4-for-4 with four RBIs, two runs scored, two doubles and a triple. In a doubleheader sweep of Delaware Valley University, the freshman went 3-for-6 with six RBIs, three runs scored, a home run and a double.

DIVISION III – South
Player of the Week
Katie Sterling – Sr., OF, Widener University

Sterling had a huge performance for the Pride in a 3-1 week. The senior hit .625 (10-for-16), slugged 1.1888 and had a .625 on-base percentage. She finished the week with 12 RBIs, seven runs scored, two doubles, two triples and a home run. In a doubleheader split with Lebanon Valley College, Sterling went 6-for-9 with two doubles, two triples, four RBIs and four runs scored. In a doubleheader sweep of Lycoming College, the senior went 4-for-7 with a home run, eight RBIs, and three runs scored.

Pitcher & Rookie of the Week
Emily Strouse – Fr., P, Penn State Altoona

Freshman Emily Strouse had a sensational week in the circle for the Lions, including her first career complete game shutout. Strouse posted a 4-0 record last week with two complete games and one shutout, pitching 29 innings and limiting the opposition to just four earned runs on 25 hits and just four walks. She struck out six batters. Strouse's ERA on the week was a stingy 0.97, and she allowed an opponent batting average of only .229

ABOUT THE ECAC
Established in 1938, the ECAC is the nation's largest Conference, ranging in location from Maine to Georgia, and westerly to Missouri. The ECAC hosts numerous championships in men's and women's sports across Divisions I, II and III, offering opportunities for thousands of student-athletes. For more information, visit www.ecacsports.com.

STAY CONNECTED
Stay updated on the latest news, championships and more by connecting with the ECAC on Facebook (ECACSports), Twitter (@ECACSports) and Instagram (@ECACSports).