NEC SOFTBALL PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Sophia LoPiccolo, Central Connecticut
Utility, Junior, Jackson, NJ/Jackson Memorial
Last Week’s Stats: .857 AVG (6-for-7), 2.000 SLG%, 0.600 OB%, 3 R, 9 RBI, 2 2B, 2 HR
LoPiccolo owned the hottest bat in the nation for a red-hot Central Connecticut line-up that scorched the competition and led all NCAA Division I squads last week with a .495 batting average and was third with a combined .923 slugging percentage. With four of her six hits going for extra bases on two doubles and a pair of homers, the junior utility player topped the nation’s statistics last week with a sizzling .857 batting average (6-for-7) and 2.000 slugging percentage to lead Central Connecticut to a convincing three-game sweep of defending league champion Saint Francis. In addition, LoPiccolo contributed three runs and nine RBI to a Blue Devils’ offense that outscored Saint Francis by a 42-14 margin during that stretch. Beginning the weekend with a 2-for-3 effort at the plate that included a two-run home run in a 12-1 five-inning victory, the slugger guided the Blue Devils to an 8-5 triumph and the Saturday sweep after she went 3-for-3 with a key RBI double. On Sunday, LoPicollo racked up six RBI in a 22-8 mercy-rule triumph. Bringing three runners across the plate on sacrifice flies in the first, second and third frames, she launched a three-run bomb in the top of the fifth to cap off her hot weekend. This is LoPiccolo’s first NEC Player of the Week honor. 

NEC SOFTBALL PITCHER OF THE WEEK
Isabella Kwashek, Le Moyne
Pitcher, Sophomore, West Deptford, NJ/West Deptford
Last Week’s Stats: 0.55 ERA, 2-1 Record, 3 APP, 1 GS, 1 SHO, 12.2 IP, 1 CG, 8 H, 1 ER, 4 BB, 2 K, .174 OPP AVG
Calculating a healthy 0.55 ERA while holding opposing batters to a .174 average at the plate across 12.2 innings of action, Kwashek guided Le Moyne to a 2-1 record last week against conference newcomer New Haven. Making an appearance in each of her team’s three games, the sophomore scattered eight hits and three walks while allowing just one earned run in that stretch. Kwashek earned the start in Saturday’s series opener and she did not disappoint. Going the distance in the five-inning 9-0 win, she earned her first shutout victory of the year after limiting the Chargers to just three hits and a pair of walks. Kwashek answered the call once again for Le Moyne in Sunday’s rubber match. Entering the game as a reliever with two down and the game tied in the bottom of the fifth, she shut the door on New Haven and tossed 3.1 scoreless innings to set the tone for an eighth-inning, game-sealing solo shot by teammate Sydney Nesci. She is the first Dolphin hurler to garner NEC Pitcher of the Week honors this season. 
   
NEC SOFTBALL ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
Stella Gasper, Central Connecticut
Infield, Freshman, Harrisburg, PA/Central Dauphin
Last Week’s Stats: .625 AVG (5-for-8), .625 SLG%, .727 OB%, 4 R, 2 RBI, 3 BB
Gasper made huge contributions to a line-up that outscored Saint Francis by a commanding 42-14 margin to earn a three-game sweep of the defending league champs last weekend. Turning in a .625 average at the plate while drawing three walks, the standout rookie posted a .625 slugging percentage and a .727 on-base percentage during that stretch. In addition, Gasper accounted for six of the Blue Devils’ runs after she crossed home four times and drove in two. Beginning the series with multi-hit outings in Saturday’s 12-1 and 9-5 victories, the Harrisburg, PA native racked up three runs and an RBI in Sunday’s finale, a 22-8 five-inning win, after she registered one hit and walked three times. The .380 hitter ranks third among fellow Blue Devils with 12 RBI. She became the second first-year player this season to earn NEC Rookie of the Week honors in back-to-back weeks while with this Tuesday's award, she pushed her season total to three, which leads the circuit. 


NEC PRIME PERFORMERS

Ava Cino, CCSU (IF, Sr)
Last Week’s Stats: .667 AVG (6-for-9), 1.111 SLG%, .727 OB%, 5 R, 4 RBI, 4 2B, 2 BB

• Averaged 1.33 doubles per game to lead the nation in the category last week
• Doubled twice as part of a 3-for-3 outing in Sunday’s series finale, a 22-8 five-inning affair that clinched the sweep (March 22)

 
Stella Gasper, CCSU (IF, Fr)
Last Week’s Stats: .625 AVG (5-for-8), .625 SLG%, .727 OB%, 4 R, 2 RBI, 3 BB

• NEC Rookie of the Week
• Accounted for six runs in Central Connecticut’s sweep of Saint Francis, a stretch that saw the Blue Devils outscore the Red Flash by a 42-14 margin

 
Grace Lawton, CCSU (IF, Sr)
Last Week’s Stats: .636 AVG (7-for-11), 1.545 SLG%, .636 OB%, 5 R, 8 RBI, 1 2B, 3 HR

• Helped Central Connecticut outscore Saint Francis by a 42-14 margin and earn a three-game sweep in the process with five runs and eight RBI
• Went 3-for-3 with a double in Saturday’s series opener, a 12-1 five-frame win (March 21)
• Went yard twice for a season-best five RBI in Sunday’s finale, a 22-8 victory in five innings (March 22)

 
Sophia LoPiccolo, CCSU (UT, Jr)
Last Week’s Stats: .857 AVG (6-for-7), 2.000 SLG%, 0.600 OB%, 3 R, 9 RBI, 2 2B, 2 HR

• NEC Player of the Week
• Posted a 2.600 OPS on the week
• Helped the Blue Devils to the series sweep of Saint Francis with a monstrous finale on Sunday, a 22-8 five-inning victory that featured six RBI on three sacrifice flies and a three-run bomb in the fifth frame (March 22)

 
Reagan Vunak, CCSU (C/UT, Jr)
Last Week’s Stats: .625 AVG (5-for-8), 1.000 SLG%, .727 OB%, 6 R, 2 RBI, 1 HR, 3 BB

• Led off the series with defending league champion Saint Francis with a solo shot on Saturday in the eventual 12-1, five-inning victory (March 21)

 
Isabella Kwashek, LEM (P, So)
Last Week’s Stats: 0.55 ERA, 2-1 Record, 3 APP, 1 GS, 1 SHO, 12.2 IP, 1 CG, 8 H, 1 ER, 4 BB, 2K, .174 OPP AVG

• NEC Pitcher of the Week
• Earned each of Le Moyne’s two wins in last weekend’s NEC series with New Haven
• Went the full five innings in Saturday’s series opener, scattering three hits and allowing two walks in the 9-0 shutout win (March 21)
• Tossed the final 3.1 frames in scoreless fashion as a reliever to guide the Dolphins to an eight-inning win in Sunday’s rubber match (March 22)

 
Sydney Nesci, LEM (OF, Jr)
Last Week’s Stats: .545 AVG (6-for-11), 1.000 SLG%, .615 OB%, 5 R, 1 RBI, 2 2B, 1 HR, 1 BB, 1 HBP

• Scored at least one run in all three games to lead Le Moyne to a 2-1 record against New Haven
• Capped off the weekend with a home run in the top of the eighth to lead the Dolphins to the 4-3 triumph on Sunday (March 22)

 
Kaylee Clarkson, LIU (C, Jr)
Last Week’s Stats: .667 AVG (6-for-11), 1.444 SLG%, .727 OB%, 5 R, 5 RBI, 1 2B, 2 HR, 2 BB, 1-1 SB

• Went 3-for-3 with a double, one home run, four RBI and three hits in Saturday’s nightcap with Stonehill, a 17-1 win in five frames (March 21)
• Also went yard in a mid-week game against Columbia (March 18) 

 
Samantha Gallegos, LIU (IF, So)
Last Week’s Stats: .500 AVG (5-for-10), 2 R, 7 RBI

• Drove in seven runs in a three-game sweep of Stonehill that saw undefeated LIU outscore its opponent by a 34-6 margin
• Went 2-for-3 with two runs and a career-high four RBI in Sunday’s 10-2 five-inning win (March 22)

 
Samantha Lotus, WAG (P, Fr)
Last Week’s Stats: 1.75 ERA, 1-1 Record, 2 APP, 2 GS, 12.0 IP, 2 CG, 10 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, 15 K, .227 OPP AVG

• Allowed just one earned run on three hits while fanning seven in Saturday’s five-inning 10-1 win over Mercyhurst (March 21)
• Struck out a season-best eight batters in a 2-0 defeat to Siena (March 18)

 
Sydnie Trujillo, WAG (IF, Jr)
Last Week’s Stats: .438 AVG (7-for-16), .438 SLG%, .438 OB%, 3 R, 8 RBI

• Went 3-for-4 with four RBI and a pair of runs in Saturday’s nightcap, a 10-1, five-inning win over Mercyhurst (March 21)

 
Karson Zavala, WAG (P, Jr)
Last Week’s Stats: 0.50 ERA, 1-2 Record, 3 APP, 2 GS, 1 SHO, 14.0 IP, 2 GS, 10 H, 5 R (1 ER), 3 BB, .192 OPP AVG, 1 HBP

• Tossed a complete-game shutout in Sunday’s rubber match against Mercyhurst, finishing with seven strikeouts while scattering just four hits and a walk (March 22)