Bender becomes the first freshman this season to earn the NEC Rookie of the Week and the NEC Player of the Week awards in the same week. The Shippensburg, PA native posted a .364 batting average (4-for-11) and a league-leading .818 slugging percentage to lead the Pioneers to a 2-3 record at the Spring Games in the Sunshine State last week. She added five RBI, two runs and a pair of extra-base hits. Bender got her week going with by contributing an RBI to Sacred Heart’s 5-0 victory over St. Bonaventure on Friday. She had a big game on Saturday against Western Michigan, delivering a pair of RBI on a triple while scoring one run on a 2-for-2 effort at the plate. Bender capped off her impressive week by launching her first career long ball – a two-run shot – against UAlbany on Sunday. On the season, Bender, who has made starts in nine of her 10 appearances, is second on the team in slugging percentage (.480) and RBI (7).