Catch up on the CAA Softball weekly news, notes and awards.

WEEKLY HONORS

PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Janel Gamache, UNCW

Graduate | INF / P | Exeter, Rhode Island / Moses Brown 

Gamache batted .556 (5-9) and posted a .636 on-base percentage with two home runs, four runs scored and three RBIs, while going 1-0 in the circle, leading UNCW to a weekend sweep over Towson in its opening CAA series. 

The grad student hit safely in all three games and recorded at least one RBI and one run scored in every game. 

She started Game 2 in the circle, picking up the win, after scattering four hits and allowing one earned run. She struck out two in five innings of work. 

Gamache has recorded a hit in 18-of-21 games this spring and leads the CAA with a .424 batting average. 

First CAA honor for our girl 🤩

🔗 https://t.co/uOLwkD5REK#TheCollege 🌴🥎 pic.twitter.com/tG2jK5iOtM

— Charleston Softball (@CofCSoftball) March 14, 2023

PITCHER OF THE WEEK

Caroline Conner, Charleston

Freshman | Social Circle, Georgia / George Walton Academy 

Conner tossed a team-high 16 innings and went 2-1 in the circle, including back-to-back wins against Delaware, to help Charleston win its opening CAA series. 

In the weekend series, Conner did not allow an earned run in 12 innings, scattering three hits and striking out nine. 

She started Game 2, throwing a complete game, allowing two hits and recording a career-high seven punchouts. 

Conner followed the performance with a five-inning shutout in the series finale, holding Delaware hitless over the final 4.1 innings, after allowing a bunt single in the first. The effort included two strikeouts. 

ROOKIE OF THE WEEK

Mackenzie Bloss, Monmouth 

Freshman | Outfield | Fords, New Jersey / Saint John Vianney

Bloss hit 5-for-10 at the plate with two doubles and two runs scored, helping Monmouth to a CAA series win over Hampton. 

The freshman outfielder hit safely in all three games, including a pair of multi-hit performances in Monmouth’s victories. 

Bloss went 2-for-3 with a double and run scored in the series opener, followed by a 2-for-4 performance with a double, stolen base and run scored in the second game. She added a hit in the series finale, marking four straight games with a base knock.  

MACK ATTACK!! 😤

Mackenzie Bloss has been named the CAA softball Rookie of the Week for her big weekend versus Hampton! @MonmouthSB has their first weekly award this season!#FlyHawks pic.twitter.com/CJ6UnE922k

— Monmouth Hawks (@MonmouthHawks) March 14, 2023

CONFERENCE NOTES

ELON & UNCW SWEEP OPENING CAA SERIES 

• Elon and UNCW earned series sweeps in their first CAA action this spring. 

The Phoenix took three from conference newcomer Stony Brook, marking the first time it has started 3-0 in CAA play since 2016. 

Meanwhile, the Seahawks went 3-0 against Towson to earn their first sweep over Towson since 2007. 

HAWKS & COUGARS EARN CAA SERIES WINS 

• Charleston and Monmouth earned CAA series wins to begin their conference schedules. 

The Cougars opened against Delaware, taking 2-of-3 from the defending CAA regular-season champions. 

The Hawks faced fellow newcomer Hampton, winning 2-of-3 against the Lady Pirates. 

It marks the first series win for Charleston against the Blue Hens since 2018, while the wins for Monmouth were its first this spring. 

THREE OPEN CAA PLAY THIS WEEKEND

• Drexel, Hofstra and North Carolina A&T will open CAA play this weekend. 

The Dragons will visit the Aggies in N.C. A&T’s first CAA series as a league member. 

The Pride also will face a conference newcomer, but an adversary it’s familiar with, as Hofstra battles Stony Brook on Long Island. 

TEAM NOTES

Charleston 

• Caroline Conner went 2-1 in the circle, tossing a team-high 16 innings. The freshman right-hander tallied 10 strikeouts and posted a 3.06 ERA. Conner went 2-0 with back-to-back complete games and did not allow an earned run in CAA play. 

• Karlee Hughes batted a team-best .286 (4-14) with three RBIs and three runs scored. She went 2-for-4 with two homers, three RBIs and two runs scored in Game 2 against Delaware.

• Malaka Belser had a team-high five RBIs and scored two runs. She hit .273 (3-11) for the week. Belser went 2-for-3 with one home run, five RBIs and two runs scored in the series finale against Delaware. 

Delaware 

• Julz Garber batted a team-best .375, recording a team-high three hits with one run scored. Garber went 2-for-4 in the series opener against Charleston, adding a run scored. It marks her eighth multi-hit performance this spring. 

• Taylor Wroten appeared in the circle all three games for the Blue Hens, throwing a team-high 9.2 innings. She posted a 2.90 ERA with five strikeouts and recorded her first save this season. 

• Katie Sheivert and Brittney Mendoza each recorded two RBIs to lead Delaware. Mendoza has an RBI in three of the past four games. 

Drexel 

• Drexel had the week off after its tournament at Delaware State got canceled. 

The Dragons will return to the diamond for a midweek game against Saint Joseph’s,before opening CAA play at North Carolina A&T. 

• Izzy Alamillo leads the Drexel lineup with a team-best .317 batting average. She tops the team with 13 hits and six runs scored this season. 

• Jessica Schable (2-5) is coming off back-to-back wins in the circle. She leads Drexel with 48 innings pitched and a 3.94 ERA.  

Elon

• Claudia Penny continued to pace the Elon lineup, hitting a team-high .500 (6-12). Penny had two doubles and one homer, with a team-high five RBIs and three runs scored. She hit safely in three games over the week.

• McKenna McCard tossed a team-high 11 innings with a 1.91 ERA and nine strikeouts, despite not earning a decision. Meredith Wells (3-3) and Taylor Cherry (2-1) went 2-0 in the circle for Elon. 

• Megan Grant batted .455 with five hits, four runs scored and two RBIs. All her hits came in the CAA series, ending the week on a three-game hitting streak. Grant posted a team-best .600 on-base percentage. 

Hampton

• Kayla Domon batted .444, hitting safely in all three games to lead the Hampton lineup. She added a team-high three runs scored and one RBI over the weekend. Domon went 2-for-4 in game two, marking her fifth multi-hit game this spring. 

• Emily Workman went 1-0 in the circle. The fifth-year pitcher went the distance in the Lady Pirate victory, scattering three hits and allowing one earned run, while striking out two.  

• Nicole Ley tallied three hits, batting .333. She recorded her first homer this season with two RBIs and one run scored. In the series finale, Ley was 2-for-3, marking her fourth multi-hit game this season. 

Hofstra

• Becca Vaillancourt batted a team-best .429 (3-7) and posted a .556 on-base percentage. 

After opening the weekend 0-for-3, Vaillancourt reached safely in five of her final six plate appearances. Additionally, she tallied two RBIs and one run scored. 

• Kasey Collins hit safely in all three games, batting .375 (3-8) and posting a .545 on-base percentage with three walks. Collins added three stolen bases and one run scored over the weekend. 

• Nikki Mullin threw a team-high 11 innings. She recorded a complete game, allowing just one earned run in Game 2 of the series, but picked up the loss. Mullin posted a 2.55 ERA for the weekend.

Monmouth

• Mackenzie Bloss led the Monmouth lineup, batting .500 with five hits. She had two doubles and two runs scored, adding one stolen base. Bloss hit safely in all three games, extending her hitting streak to four straight.

• Billie Kerwood went 1-1 in the circle, pitching a team-high 11 innings. Kerwood posted a 1.91 ERA with nine strikeouts during the series. The victory marked her first winning decision this season.   

• Emily Spencer tallied three hits in six plate appearances and recorded a team-high three RBIs for the Hawks. Additionally, Spencer ended the weekend with hits in back-to-back games. 

North Carolina A&T

• Alyxx Estrada went 3-for-6 (.500) with two RBIs and one run scored in the two games last week. She hit safely in both contests, going 2-for-3 with a triple, two RBIs, two runs scored and a stolen base in the victory. 

• Sierra Baldwin batted .400, going 2-for-5 at the plate with two RBIs and one run scored. She drove in one run in both games and recorded her fourth multi-hit effort this season.

• Kayla Douglas picked up her first win in the circle this season. The senior right-hander did not allow an earned run in 5.2 innings of work and limited the opposition to a .158 batting average.

UNCW

• Janel Gamache batted .556 (5-9) and posted a .636 on-base percentage with two home runs, four runs scored and three RBIs, while going 1-0 in the circle with a 1.40 ERA. She has a hit in 18-of-21 games and leads the CAA with a .424 batting average.

• Mary Sobataka tallied a team-high six RBIs, including a walk-off triple in the series finale. Sobataka hit safely and drove in multiple runs in all three games, batting .417 (5-of-12) for the weekend. She is fourth in the CAA with 13 RBIs.

• Tayler Vitola scored a team-high six runs, recording at least one in all three games. She is tied for first in the CAA with 15 runs scored this spring. Vitola hit .500 (5-for-10) for the series.

Stony Brook

• Alicia Orosco posted a team-high .636 on-base percentage, reaching safely at least twice in all three games. Orosco recorded a hit in all three contests, batting .429 with one RBI and one run scored. 

• Naiah Ackerman batted a team-best .429 (3-7) and posted a .500 on-base percentage. She hit safely in all three games, matching her longest hitting streak this season. 

• Kyra McFarland hit safely in all three games and extended her hitting streak to five straight. She batted .333 for the weekend, adding a stolen base and a walk.  

Towson 

• Madyson Peters recorded a team-high 10 hits, batting .588 with six RBIs and five runs scored for the week. She recorded four multi-hit performances and six extra-base hits, including five doubles and a homer. 

• Cara Bohner reached safely in all five games and recorded a .533 on-base percentage. She hit .462 (6-for--14) with four RBIs and three runs scored.

• Ally Hickman reached safely in all five games, posting a .583 on-base percentage, hitting .500 (5-for-10), with four runs scored and three RBIs.