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

WEEKLY HONORS

PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Alyssa Costello, Stony Brook

Sophomore | Outfield | Lanoka Harbor, New Jersey / Marine Academy of Technology and Environmental Science

Costello batted .471 (8-for-17) and posted a .500 on-base percentage, with four runs scored and one RBI, leading Stony Brook to a 3-1 week, including a weekend series victory over Towson. 

Costello hit safely in all four games, extending her hitting streak to 14 straight, including two multi-hit efforts. 

Five of her eight hits went for extra bases, recording four doubles and one triple throughout the week. 

In addition, Costello scored a run in all four games, adding a walk and stolen base. 

PITCHER OF THE WEEK

Sharla Kirkpatrick, North Carolina A&T

Junior | Charlotte, North Carolina / Concord   

Kirkpatrick was 1-0 in the circle and picked up a save in nine innings of work, helping North Carolina A&T to a series win over Hampton and a berth in the CAA Championship. 

The junior right-hander did not allow an earned run across her two appearances, scattering six hits and striking out four. 

On Sunday, Kirkpatrick tossed her first career complete-game shutout, leading the Aggies to a win in the rubber match of the series. It came after a two-inning save the day before, the first save in her career. 

ROOKIE OF THE WEEK

Caroline Conner, Charleston

Freshman | Pitcher | Social Circle, Georgia / George Walton Academy

Conner went 1-0 in the circle, helping Charleston to a weekend split against Elon, as the Cougars secured a spot in the CAA Tournament. 

Starting in Game 2, Conner tossed six innings without allowing an earned run, scattering five hits and recording five punchouts in a 9-1 win for Charleston. It marks her 10th performance this season with at least five strikeouts, and she ranks fifth in the CAA in total strikeouts (94). 

Another award for our girl Caroline 🤩

🔗 https://t.co/fjBdI3Cme4#TheCollege 🌴🥎 pic.twitter.com/rAiqy4EEu3

— Charleston Softball (@CofCSoftball) May 1, 2023

CONFERENCE NOTES

TOURNAMENT FIELD TAKES SHAPE 

• Seven teams have secured berths in the first eight-team CAA Softball Championship. 

Three teams - Charleston, Elon and North Carolina A&T - clinched berths in the tournament last weekend, while four teams - Delaware, Hofstra, UNCW and Towson - locked up their spots in the championship two weekends ago. 

TWO-FOR-ONE

• The final berth in the CAA Tournament comes down to Monmouth and Stony Brook, who go head-to-head this weekend. 

The Hawks will host the Seawolves, as the conference newcomers matchup for the first time as CAA opponents. 

The winner of the three-game series earns the eighth, and final, berth in the conference tournament. 

FIGHT TO THE FINISH

• Seeding will be on the line during the final weekend of the regular season, with a tight race in the league standings. 

Four teams remain in contention for the regular-season title and the top seed in the conference tournament. 

Delaware enters the weekend on top of the CAA standings at 15-5 in league play. UNCW (15-6) trails the Blue Hens by half a game, while Hofstra (13-7) is two games back of first. Elon (12-7) is within striking distance at 2.5 games back.

Last week's flicks 📸#FlyHawks pic.twitter.com/SfVaOc7xZ0

— Monmouth Softball (@MonmouthSB) April 24, 2023

TEAM NOTES

Charleston

• Malaka Belser paced the Charleston lineup, hitting .500 (5-for-10) with seven RBIs and two runs scored. Belser had two multi-hit games and homered in two of her three starts. 

• Caroline Conner picked up the winning decision for the Cougars, going 1-0 in the circle. The freshman right-hander tossed six innings without allowing an earned run, scattering five hits and recording five punchouts.

• Karlee Hughes batted .500, recording four hits, while posting a .600 on-base percentage. 

Huges went 3-for-3 with a walk and three runs scored in the weekend finale. 

She tallied a team-high four runs scored for the week.

Delaware 

• Hanna Garber hit safely in both games, leading the Blue Hens with a .571 (4-for-7) batting average. 

In addition, Garber drew a walk, posting a .625 on-base percentage, while stealing two bases and scoring three runs on the base path. 

• Kiara Mills went 4-for-8 at the plate, recording back-to-back multi-hit efforts. 

Mills paced the team with four RBIs and matched a team-best with three runs scored. 

• Taylor Wroten went 1-0 in the circle, posting a team-best 0.95 ERA in 7.1 innings of work. 

The graduate right-hander tossed a complete game in Delaware’s victory. She scattered three hits and allowed one earned run, while strikeout out two.

Drexel 

• Mia Garza batted .500 (6-for-12), recording a team-high six hits. 

Garza hit safely in four games, including two multi-hit efforts. 

The sophomore infielder added one RBI and one walk throughout the week. 

• Lindsay Nelson pitched a team-high 19 innings, going 1-2 in the circle. 

Nelson recorded a team-best 2.21 ERA and six punchouts in her work. The winning decision came in her fifth complete game this season. 

• Izzy Alamillo scored a team-high three runs. The sophomore infielder hit safely in three games, with one multi-hit performance. Alamillo added one RBI. 

Elon 

• Allee Seering hit safely in both games for the Phoenix, going 3-for-5 at the plate. 

The sophomore utility player had a team-high three runs scored. 

In addition, Seering drew two walks and posted a .714 on-base percentage. 

• Bella Devesa hit safely in both contests, going 3-for-6 over the weekend. 

Devesa led the team with three RBIs, driving in runs in each ball game. The senior infielder added one run scored. 

• McKenna McCard went 1-0 in the circle, throwing 5.1 innings without allowing a hit. 

McCard started the series opener, going five innings without surrendering a hit, and tallied six strikeouts.  

Hampton

• Carmynn Bonner batted .500 (8-for-16) with three RBIs and two runs scored. 

The freshman hit safely in all five games, including three multi-hit performances. It matches her longest hitting streak this spring. 

• Camryn Thomas batted .412 (7-for-17), recording a team-high four runs scored, while adding two RBIs. 

Thomas hit safely in four games with two multi-hit efforts. 

The junior outfielder also swiped three bags. 

• Kayla Domon hit .353 (6-for-17) with four RBIs and two runs scored. 

Three of her six hits went for extra bases, all coming in the form of doubles. 

Domon also had two multi-hit efforts.

Hofstra 

• Meghan Giordano posted a team-best .714 on-base percentage, recording three hits and two walks. 

The graduate infielder added two RBIs and one run scored. 

Giordano has reached base safely in 12 straight games.

• Anna Butler made two appearances in the circle, going 1-0 in 6.1 innings of work. 

The sophomore righty scattered five hits without allowing an earned run and struck out one. It marks her first win this spring. 

• Kasey Collins had two runs scored to lead the team. Collins scored once in each game, extending her streak of games, with a run scored to nine. 

She posted a .375 on-base percentage, with one hit and two walks.

Monmouth 

• Monmouth last played April 23 after its weekend doubleheader against Hartford was canceled. 

The Hawks remain alive for the final CAA Tournament berth and will visit Stony Brook this weekend, with the series winner securing the last bid.

• Billie Kerwood (5-14) is Monmouth’s ace in the circle. 

The sophomore right-hander has a 3.20 ERA in 120.1 innings pitched with 141 strikeouts. 

Kerwood leads the CAA in strikeouts this season.

• Francesca Torraca leads the Monmouth lineup, hitting .290 this spring. 

Torraca has a team-high 31 hits, while leading the team with 12 runs scored and ranks second with 14 RBIs.

North Carolina A&T 

• Dezianna Patmon had a team-best .714 on-base percentage, recording five walks and three hits. 

The sophomore infielder hit safely in all three games. 

In addition, she had three stolen bases and led the team with four runs scored. 

• Sharla Kirkpatrick was 1-0 in the circle and picked up a save in nine innings of work. 

The junior right-hander did not allow an earned run across her two appearances, scattering six hits and striking out four. 

• Katriel Williams batted a team-best .600 (6-for-10). The freshman outfielder tallied two hits in each game, adding three RBIs and three runs scored for the weekend. 

Williams had two multi-hit efforts entering the weekend. 

UNCW 

• Tayler Vitola led the UNCW, hitting .467 (7-for-15) with seven hits, four runs scored and three RBIs. 

The junior infielder hit safely in all five games, with two multi-hit efforts, extending her hitting streak to seven. 

• Emily Winstead was 1-0 in the circle, pitching a team-high 10 innings. 

The sophomore righty posted a 0.90 ERA with 10 strikeouts in two appearances. 

Winstead’s win came in the weekend finale, as she recorded her first complete game this spring. 

• Arial Pearce batted .357 (5-for-14), recording a team-high five runs scored and added two RBIs.

Pearce tallied at least one hit and run scored in the final four games during the week.  

Stony Brook 

• Alyssa Costello Costello batted .471 (8-for-17) and posted a .500 on-base percentage with four runs scored and one RBI. 

Costello hit safely in all four games, extending her hitting streak to 14 straight, including two multi-hit efforts. 

• Julianna Sanzone tallied seven hits in three games for the Seawolves. 

The junior outfielder hit .636 (7-for-11) with three runs scored and two RBIs. 

Sanzone had multiple hits in all three games, including a season-high three in the weekend finale. 

• Mia Haynes went 2-1 in the circle with a team-best 2.44 ERA. 

The junior right-hander tossed 14.1 innings across three appearances with eight punchouts. 

Towson

• Mackenzie Lake batted .455 (5-for-11), leading the team with five RBIs and three runs scored. 

Lake hit safely in all three games, including three hits in the weekend finale. 

In addition, Lake had homers in two games during the series.

• Briana Ramirez posted a team-best .538 on-base percentage, recording four walks and two hits. 

Ramirez reached base safely multiple times in all three games. She added two runs scored.

• Ally Hickman hit .364 (4-for-11) and posted a .417 on-base percentage. 

The junior infielder tallied multiple hits in two games and recorded one double in both performances. 

Hickman added two RBIs during the weekend.