NEC SOFTBALL PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Jen Rodriguez, LIU
Utility, Junior, Sylmar, CA/John F. Kennedy
Last Week’s Stats: .667 AVG (8-for-12), .917 SLG%, .714 OB%, 1 R, 1 RBI, 3 2B, 2 BB
Rodriguez was one of the most efficient hitters in the NEC last week. The junior utility player became the third different Shark to garner NEC Player of the Week distinction this season after she turned in a .667 average (8-for-12) to go along with a 1.631 OPS. In addition, Rodriguez launched three doubles, scored one run and drove in one more to lead LIU to a 3-1 record that featured a three-game sweep of conference newcomer New Haven. During that weekend set, which pushed LIU’s record against league foes to a perfect 12-0, the California native went 7-for-10 at the plate with a double in each contest. Rodriguez opened the series on a strong note, turning in a 3-for-4 effort to lead the Sharks to a 3-0 win on Friday. Registering a 2-for-3 performance in Friday’s nightcap, a 4-1 triumph, she went 2-for-3 once again on Saturday to lead her team to the 3-0 victory in the series finale. Rodriguez, who is tied for the team lead in doubles with seven, ranks fourth among LIU batters with 15 RBI. In addition, she tops the team with 18 walks.

NEC SOFTBALL PITCHER OF THE WEEK
Sarah Wall, LIU
Pitcher, Senior, Whitby, Ontario/Donald A. Wilson
Last Week’s Stats: 0.47 ERA, 2-1 Record, 4 APP, 4 GS, 14.3 IP, 7 H, 2 R (1 ER), 5 BB, 15 K, .137 OPP AVG
LIU continued its winning ways against NEC foes last week thanks to the right arm of Wall. Earning the starting nod in each of the Sharks’ three games against New Haven, the senior, who surrendered just six hits, struck out 14 and did not allow an earned run to the Chargers on her watch, guided LIU to a weekend sweep of the conference newcomer. With the trio of wins, the Sharks improved to 12-0 in NEC play. Wall was lockdown in her first start of the weekend, registering six strikeouts while scattering just three hits in 4.0 innings en route to leading her team to the 3-0 shutout on Friday. After allowing one unearned run in 3.1 frames of work in Friday’s nightcap, a 4-1 extra-inning victory, she was just as impressive in Saturday’s final game. In 5.2 frames, she registered six punchouts while holding the Chargers to just one hit  in an eventual 3-0 win. Making four starts on the week, the Canadian born hurler struck out 15 and allowed just two runs, including one earned run, in 14.3 innings of work. Wall is the first LIU hurler to take home an NEC Pitcher of the Week award this season.
   
NEC SOFTBALL ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
Juli Murillo, Stonehill
Short Stop, Freshman, Averill Park, NY/Averill Park
Last Week’s Stats: .381 AVG (8-for-21), .476 SLG%, .435 OB%, 7 R, 6 RBI, 2 2B, 1 BB, 1 HBP
Timely hitting led Murillo to her first career NEC Rookie of the Week honor, and the first for a Stonehill player this season. The Averill Park, NY native had a sensational stretch at the plate to help lead the Skyhawks to a 4-1 record that included a mid-week sweep of non-conference foe Holy Cross and a series win over Mercyhurst over the weekend. Murillo posted a .381 batting average after she went 8-for-21 with two doubles, six RBI and seven runs. She was even more impressive in the three-game set with the Lakers, going 6-for-13, including 6-for-10 in Stonehill’s two wins, while accounting for nine of her team’s 27 runs in that stretch. In Friday’s 12-5 win, the short stop went 3-for-5 with two runs and an RBI before she racked up four RBI and one run on a pair of doubles and a base hit in Saturday’s rubber match, a 12-6 triumph. Boasting a team-leading 21 runs scored and six RBI, Murillo ranks second among fellow Skyhawks with a .360 batting average.


NEC PRIME PERFORMERS

Hailey Strunk, CCSU (P, So)
Last Week’s Stats: 2.80 ERA, 2-1 Record, 3 APP, 3 GS, 1 SHO, 20.0 IP, 3 CG, 23 H, 9 R (8 ER), 6 BB, 7 K, .280 OPP AVG

• Did not allow an earned run in two starts and 14.0 innings of work against Wagner
• Tossed a complete-game, seven-hit shutout in Friday’s nightcap to lead the Blue Devils to the 1-0 victory (April 3)
• Went the distance in Saturday’s 4-1 win, scattering four hits and three walks (April 4)

 
Audrey Benderski, LEM (1B, Sr)
Last Week’s Stats: .455 AVG (5-for-11), .818 OB%, .538 SLG%, 2 R, 4 RBI, 1 2B, 1 HR, 2 BB

• Her fifth home run of the season — a three-run shot in the bottom of the sixth — walked it off for Le Moyne in Friday’s nightcap by pushing the score to 11-3 (April 3)
• Finished with four RBI in the win

 
Lily Hinkle, LIU (OF, Jr)
Last Week’s Stats: .438 AVG (7-for-16), .500 SLG%, .438 OB%, 2 R, 1 RBI, 1 2B, 5-5 SB

• Was perfect in each of her five stolen base attempts
• Crossed home twice in LIU’s series opener vs. New Haven, a 3-0 win on Friday (April 3)
• Went 2-for-4 with an RBI to help the Sharks complete the sweep with a 3-0 victory on Saturday (April 4)

 
Jen Rodriguez, LIU (UT, Jr)
Last Week’s Stats: .667 AVG (8-for-12), .917 SLG%, .714 OB%, 1 R, 1 RBI, 3 2B, 2 BB

• NEC Player of the Week
• Notched a double in each of LIU’s three wins vs. New Haven, combining to bat .700 (7-for-10) during the series
• Opened the series with a 3-for-4 effort to lead the Sharks to a 3-0 win on Friday (April 3)
• Also had multiple hits in the final two games of the series, a 4-1 win on Friday and a 3-0 triumph on Saturday (April 4)

 
Sarah Wall, LIU (P, Sr)
Last Week’s Stats: 0.47 ERA, 2-1 Record, 4 APP, 4 GS, 14.3 IP, 7 H, 2 R (1 ER), 5 BB, 15 K, .137 OPP AVG

• NEC Pitcher of the Week
• Did not allow an earned run in three starts against New Haven
• Tossed 4.0 scoreless innings and fanned six batters to guide LIU to a series-opening 3-0 win over the Chargers on Friday (April 3)
• Struck out six and allowed just one hit in 5.2 innings in Saturday’s series finale, a 3-0 victory (April 4)

 
Jazlynn Sanders, MU (1B, So)
Last Week’s Stats: .400 AVG (4-for-10), .800 SLG%, .455 OB%, 1 R, 4 RBI, 1 2B, 1 HR, 1 BB

• Doubled and hit a three-run home run in Friday’s series opener vs. Stonehill to lead Mercyhurst to the 5-3 win (April 3)

 
Juli Murillo, STO (SS, Fr)
Last Week’s Stats: .381 AVG (8-for-21), .476 SLG%, .435 OB%, 7 R, 6 RBI, 2 2B, 1 BB, 1 HBP

• NEC Rookie of the Week
• Scored at least one run in each of Stonehill’s five games, a stretch that saw the Skyhawks go 4-1
• Combined to bat .462 (6-for-13) in the series win vs. Mercyhurst
• Went 3-for-5 in Saturday’s rubber match with the Lakers, driving in four runs on two doubles and a single

 
Taylor Schoonmaker, STO (RF, So)
Last Week’s Stats: .389 AVG (7-for-18), .500 SLG%, .522 OB%, 7 R, 6 RBI, 2 2B, 4 BB, 1 HBP, 2-2 SB

• Helped lead Stonehill to a 4-1 record that included a mid-week sweep of Holy Cross and a series win vs. Mercyhurst
• Went a perfect 5-for-5 with three RBI and three runs to lead Stonehill to a 12-5 win over Mercyhurst in Friday’s nightcap (April 3)

 
Harper Sullivan, STO (1B/P, Jr)
Last Week’s Batting Stats: .500 AVG (8-for-16), .563 SLG%, .550 OB%, 2 R, 8 RBI, 1 2B, 3 BB, 1-1 SB
Last Week’s Pitching Stats: 2.40 ERA, 2-0 Record, 4 APP, 11.2 IP, 15 H, 4 ER, 3 BB, 6 K, .300 OPP AVG

• Earned the win inside the circle in each of Stonehill’s victories against Mercyhurst
• Tossed 4.0 innings of relief in Friday’s nightcap, allowing one earned run while fanning five batters in the 12-5 triumph (April 3)
• Picked up her third win of the season in Saturday’s rubber match after working 5.1 innings out of the bullpen in the 12-6 decision
• Recorded at least one hit and one RBI in each of the Skyhawks’ five games, leading the team to a 4-1 record
• Went 2-for-4 with three RBI in a 12-5 win on Friday (April 3)

 
Samantha Lotus, WAG (P, Fr)
Last Week’s Stats: 1.62 ERA, 0-2 Record, 3 APP, 2 GS, 17.1 IP, 2 CG, 18 H, 4 ER,3 BB, 8 K, .265 OPP AVG

• Allowed one earned run in two appearances, including one start, in the weekend series against Central Connecticut
• Tossed 3.0 scoreless innings of relief in Saturday’s rubber match, a 4-1 defeat (April 4)

 
Geanice Morales, WAG (IF, Sr)
Last Week’s Stats: .444 AVG (4-for-9), .444 SLG%, .667 OB%, 1 R, 6 BB

• Went 3-for-3 in an eight-inning defeat to Rutgers on Tuesday (March 31)
• Walked three times and scored the game-winning run in Friday’s series opener vs. Central Connecticut, a 1-0 victory (April 3)

 
Karson Zavala, WAG (P, Jr)
Last Week’s Stats: 1.91 ERA, 1-1 Record, 2 APP, 2 GS, 1 SHO, 11.0 IP, 1 CG, 10 H, 4 R (3 ER), 3 BB, 11 K, .227 OPP AVG

• Tossed a complete-game shutout on Friday in the series opener to earn the 1-0 win (April 3)
• Combined for 11 strikeouts in two appearances, including six in the victory