NEC SOFTBALL PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Nyae’ Villalta, LIU
Outfield, Senior, Upper Marlboro, MD/Academy of Health Sciences
Last Week’s Stats: .700 AVG (7-for-10), .900 SLG%, .750 OB%, 5 R, 2 RBI, 2 2B, 1 BB, 1 HBP, 2-2 SB
Villalta became the first player this season to repeat as NEC Player of the Week after she helped LIU to a 3-0 start to NEC play this past weekend. Going 7-for-10 at the plate in a three-game series against Le Moyne for a .700 average, the veteran outfielder belted out a pair of doubles, earned one walk and was hit by a pitch once for a .900 slugging percentage and .750 on-base percentage during that stretch. In addition, Villalta helped the Sharks outscore their competitors by a 25-8 margin after she drove in two runs and scored five times. The Upper Marlboro, MD native was consistent all weekend, registering multiple hits in all three outings including a perfect 3-for-3 performance in Saturday’s series opener, an 8-0, six-inning win. Scoring twice while registering one double in that game, she crossed home two more times in Saturday’s nightcap, a 12-4 win in five frames, before she doubled once again in the Sunday’s series finale, a 5-4 victory. In addition, Villalta was a menace on the basepaths with two stolen bags. She enters the week ranked first in the NEC with a .442 batting average and a .547 on-base percentage, while her 1.245 slugging percentage and 13 runs scored are both good for third overall.

NEC SOFTBALL PITCHER OF THE WEEK
Karson Zavala, Wagner
Pitcher, Junior, Chino Hills, CA/Ruben S. Ayala
Last Week’s Stats: 2.15 ERA, 1-0 Record, 2 APP, 2 GS, 13.0 IP, 2 CG, 6 H, 5 R (4 ER), 4 BB, 19 K, .140 OPP AVG
Zavala went the distance twice for Wagner during the opening weekend of NEC play, and in those two outings against Stonehill, the junior pitcher came away with wins. In 13.0 innings of work, the California native, who racked up 19 strikeouts, allowed just four earned runs on six hits and four walks while holding the Skyhawks to a .140 average at the plate. On Saturday, Zavala helped the Seahawks bounce back from a series-opening defeat by guiding her team to the 13-4 win. After allowing four runs to cross through the first two innings, she settled in and tossed four frames of scoreless softball. Six of her punchouts came during that game. Earning the start once again in Sunday’s rubber match, she answered the call and held Stonehill to just one run en route to a 15-1 triumph. Registering a season-high 13 strikeouts, the most of any NEC hurler this season, Zavala allowed just five base runners to earn her third victory of the year. On the year, she ranks second in the league with 37 strikeouts, one behind NEC leader Liz Hamilton from Central Connecticut. This is Zavala’s second NEC Pitcher of the Week honor this season.
   
NEC SOFTBALL ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
Stella Gasper, Central Connecticut
Infield, Freshman, Harrisburg, PA/Central Dauphin
Last Week’s Stats: .364 AVG (4-for-11), .455 SLG%, .533 OB%, 4 R, 4 RBI, 1 2B, 4 BB
Gasper doubled her NEC Rookie of the Week awards with a consistent stretch at the plate for Central Connecticut. Previously earning the honor on Feb. 17, the Harrisburg, PA native posted a .364 batting average (4-for-11) and a .533 on-base percentage to help lead the Blue Devils to an impressive 4-1 record that included a three-game sweep of FDU this past weekend. In addition, Gasper scored four runs, recorded four RBI and drew four walks during that stretch. With each of her runs and RBI coming against the Knights, the infielder was stellar in Central Connecticut’s NEC opener, adding three walks while going 4-for-6 inside the batter’s box. She delivered a clutch outing in Saturday’s nightcap, a 9-1 win, after going 2-for-3 with a double, three RBI and one run. On the season, Gasper ranks second among fellow Blue Devils with five doubles while her 10 RBI are also good for second on the squad.


NEC PRIME PERFORMERS

Grace Lawton, CCSU (IF, Sr)
Last Week’s Stats: .467 AVG (7-for-15), 1.000 SLG%, 0.500 OB%, 5 R, 3 RBI, 2 2B, 2 HR, 1 BB

• Went 6-for-9 with five runs and two RBI in the Blue Devils’ three-game sweep of FDU
• Launched two solo shots in back-to-back at-bats in Saturday’s nightcap, a 9-1 six-inning triumph (March 14)

 
Skylar Warn, CCSU (IF, Sr)
Last Week’s Stats: .467 AVG (7-for-15), .933 SLG%, .500 OB%, 3 R, 4 RBI, 1 2B, 2 HR, 1 BB

• Had three multi-hit games to lead Central Connecticut to a 4-1 mark last week
• Helped the Blue Devils complete the three-game sweep of FDU with a two-run single and a solo shot in Sunday’s 11-2, five-inning victory (March 18)

 
Mikayla Conklin, FDU (OF, So)
Last Week’s Stats: .429 AVG (6-for-14), .643 SLG%, .429 OB%, 5 RBI, 1 2B, 1 3B

• Registered at least one hit in each of FDU’s five games last week
• Combined for four RBI in the weekend set at Central Connecticut

 
Jaedyn Lincoln, LIU (C, Jr)
Last Week’s Stats: .444 AVG (4-for-9), .778 SLG%, .545 OB%, 2 R, 6 RBI, 1 HR, 1 BB

• Drove in two runs in each of LIU’s three wins against Le Moyne
• Went 2-for-3 with a homer in Saturday’s nightcap, a 12-4 five inning triumph

 
Nyae’ Villalta, LIU (OF, Sr)
Last Week’s Stats: .700 AVG (7-for-10), .900 SLG%, .750 OB%, 5 R, 2 RBI, 2 2B, 1 BB, 1 HBP, 2-2 SB

• NEC Player of the Week
• Went 3-for-3 with a double and scored twice in the series opener with Le Moyne, an 8-0 six-inning win on Saturday (March 14)
• Was perfect on the basepaths in two stolen base attempts
• Leads the NEC in batting average (.442) and on-base percentage (.547)

 
Karlie Kasten, MU (OF, Sr)
Last Week’s Stats: .692 AVG (9-for-13), .769 SLG%, .692 OB%, 1 R, 2 RBI, 1 2B, 2-2 SB, 

• Registered at least one hit in each of Mercyhurst’s four games against Robert Morris
• Went 4-for-4 with a stolen base in Saturday’s nightcap (March 14)

 
Allison Murai, NHVN (IF, Sr)
Last Week’s Stats: .462 AVG (6-for-13), .923 SLG%, .429 OB%, 5 R, 4 RBI, 2 HR

• Led New Haven to a win in its first-ever NEC game after slugging two home runs against defending league champion Saint Francis on Saturday (March 14)
• Her second homer — a two-run shot — gave the Chargers a 10-7 lead in the top of the eighth

 
Annabelle Farmer, SFU (C, Sr)
Last Week’s Stats: .500 AVG (5-for-10), 1.100 slugging percentage, .545 on-base percentage, 2 R, 2 RBI, 2 HR, 1 BB

• Homered twice as part of a 4-for-4 outing in Saint Francis’ first NEC game of the season against New Haven on Saturday (March 14)
• Leads the league with eight home runs, four more than the next closest competitor

 
Sofia Zielinski, SFU (UT, So)
Last Week’s Stats: .500 AVG (5-for-10), 1.400 SLG%, .583 OB%, 4 R, 5 RBI, 3 HR, 2 BB

• Accounted for nine of Saint Francis’ 15 runs in three games against New Haven with four runs and five RBI
• Went yard twice in Saturday’s NEC opener with a solo shot and a two-run blast (March 14)
• Hit another home run — a two-run blast — in Sunday’s nightcap to lead the Red Flash to the 6-3 win (March 15)

 
Lilly Banse, WAG (OF, So)
Last Week’s Stats: .571 AVG (8-for-14), .929 SLG%, .571 OB%, 4 R, 6 RBI, 2 2B, 1 HR

• Combined to bat 8-for-14 against Stonehill to lead Wagner to a 2-1 start to NEC play
• Went 3-for-4 with four RBI, including a two-run homer, in Saturday’s nightcap, a 13-4 six-inning win (March 14)
• Went 5-for-5 with two runs and two RBI in Sunday’s rubber match to lead the Seahawks to the 15-1 win (March 15)

 
Sydnie Trujillo, WAG (IF, Jr)
Last Week’s Stats: .500 AVG (7-for-14), .929 SLG%, .533 OB%, 5 R, 8 RBI, 3 2B, 1 HR, 1 BB

• Had three RBI in each of Wagner’s wins against Stonehill
• Contributed an RBI double and a two-run home run in Sunday’s rubber match, a 15-1 win that sealed the series for the Seahawks

 
Karson Zavala, WAG (P, Jr)
Last Week’s Stats: 2.15 ERA, 1-0 Record, 2 APP, 2 GS, 13.0 IP, 2 CG, 6 H, 5 R (4 ER), 4 BB, 19 K, .140 OPP AVG

• NEC Pitcher of the Week
• Earned the win in each of her starts against Stonehill
• Compiled 19 strikeouts, including 13 in Sunday’s rubber match, a 15-1 complete-game effort
• The 13 punchouts were the most by an NEC hurler this season