GNAC Softball Weekly Honors: April 12

By Melissa Maitland 

GNAC Sports Information Specialist

Liddy van der Linden (St. Joseph’s (ME)), Marley Balasco (Norwich), Taylor Cournoyer (Rivier), Monica White (Rivier) and Emily Hummel (St. Joseph (CT)) have earned Great Northeast Athletic Conference’s Softball Weekly Honors.

PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Liddy van der Linden, St. Joseph’s (ME), Sr., Worcester, Mass.

Weekly Totals

Games (6), AB (21), Runs (8), Hits (10), RBI’s (9), Average (.476), Slugging % (1.000)

van der Linden played a huge role in a 6-0 week for the Monks, as the senior shortstop hit .476 (10-21) with 8 runs, 9 RBIs, 2 doubles, 3 homeruns, including a 2-run blast late in the nightcap game against St. Joseph (CT) on April 11 to help the Royal Blue set a new program record with 19 consecutive victories.  She went 4-6 with 4 runs, 4 RBIs, 2 doubles, and a homerun in a sweep over Pine Manor, 10-9 and 8-6, on April 10, and went 4-7 with 2 runs, 3 RBIs, and a homerun in a sweep of the St. Joseph (CT), 8-3 and 3-1, on April 11.  St. Joseph’s (ME) also defeated Southern Maine, 11-2 and 6-1, on April 6.  van der Linden is ranked 1st in the GNAC in homeruns (6), 2nd in total bases (55), 3rd in assists (49), is tied for 3rd in RBIs (25) and total plate appearances (94), and is tied for 5th in errors (10).  St. Joseph’s (ME) is currently in 1st place in the GNAC, with an undefeated conference record of 18-0 and an overall record of 25-5.  The Monks next play a doubleheader against Lasell on April 14.

Marley Balasco, Norwich, Jr., Barrington, R.I.

Weekly Totals

Games (6), AB (18), Runs (8), Hits (12), RBI’s (10), Average (.667), Slugging % (1.056)

Balasco’s .667 batting average and 1.056 slugging percentage helped to lead Norwich to 6 straight victories last week.  Balasco had hits in each of Norwich’s 6 games, going 5-for-7 with 3 RBIs and 2 runs scored in a road sweep over Mount Ida, 4-5 and 7-6, on April 5, went 2-3 in a sweep of Pine Manor, 4-0 and 9-0, on April 9, and went 5-for-8 with 6 RBIs and 5 runs scored in a sweep of Albertus Magnus, 20-4 and 15-0, on April 11.  Balasco is ranked 1st in the GNAC in passed balls (21), steal attempts against (34), stolen bases against (31), she is tied for 1st in walks (15), is ranked 2nd in total plate appearances (95), chances (166), putouts (153), 4th in on base percentage (.484), and is tied for 4th in hits (31).  Norwich is currently in 8th place in the GNAC, with a conference record of 7-11 and an overall record of 18-8.  The Cadets next face Lyndon State in doubleheader action on April 13.

ROOKIE OF THE WEEK

Taylor Cournoyer, Rivier, Fr., Mansfield, Mass.

Weekly Totals

Games (6), AB (22), Runs (8), Hits (13), RBI’s (8), Average (.591), Slugging % (1.000)

Cournoyer was a big reason the Raiders went 6-0 last week, as she went 6-8 at the plate with 5 RBIs, 2 doubles and 2 triples, while playing stellar defense at shortstop.  Rivier had victories came from conference sweeps of Suffolk, 8-1 and 15-0, on April 5, Emerson, 13-0 and 15-4 on April 10, and Emmanuel, 8-1 and 7-4, on April 11.  Cournoyer is ranked 1st in the GNAC in batting average (.508), 4th in slugging percentage (.705), 2nd in on base percentage (.508), and is tied for 4th in hits (31).  This is the second time this season that Cournoyer as earned Rookie of the Week honors.  She was previously honored on March 22.  Rivier is currently in 2nd place in the GNAC, with an undefeated conference record of 16-0 and an overall record of 22-1.  The Raiders next face Mount Ida in doubleheader action on April 14.

PITCHER OF THE WEEK

Monica White, Rivier, Sr., Augusta, M.E.

Weekly Totals

GS (3), CG (2), APP (6), Saves (0), W-L (5-0), ERA (0.26), IP (27.33)

In a 6-0 week for the Raiders, White was simply unhittable.  She finished the week 5-0 with a 0.26 ERA and held opposing batters to a .085 average.  In a sweep of Emerson on April 5, White pitched 8.2 innings, yielding just 1 hit while striking out 12.  Rivier’s victories came from sweeps of Suffolk, 8-1 and 15-0, on April 5, Emerson, 13-0 and 15-4 on April 10, and Emmanuel, 8-1 and 7-4, on April 11.  White is ranked 1st in the GNAC in ERA (0.33), opposing batting average (.118), innings pitched (86.0), batters struck out (144), wins (13), games finished (7), and earned runs allowed (4).  She is tied for 1st in the conference in appearances (16), games in relief (7), and triples allowed (0), is ranked 2nd in batters struck out while looking (23) and runs allowed (9), and is tied for 3rd in doubles allowed (4).  This is the 4th time this season, and 2nd week in a row, that White has earned Pitcher of the Week honors.  She was previously honored on March 15, March 22, and April 5.  Rivier is currently in 2nd place in the GNAC, with an undefeated conference record of 16-0 and an overall record of 22-1.  The Raiders next game is a doubleheader against Mount Ida on April 14.

Emily Hummel, St. Joseph (CT), Fr., Hebron, Conn.

Weekly Totals

GS (3), CG (3), APP (5), Saves (0), W-L (2-1), ERA (0.00), IP (22.33)

Hummel allowed 3 unearned runs, 16 hits, 5 walks and struck out 13 batters in 5 appearances last week.  Hummel pitched all 14 innings of a doubleheader against Lasell, losing the day game 2-1 and picking up a 4-1 victory in the nightcap on April 10.  She also batted .417 (10-for-24) with 10 runs scored and 6 RBIs at the plate for the week.  St. Joseph (CT) went 5-5 for the week, losing 10-8 in the first game of a double header against Daniel Webster on April 5, and winning in the nightcap, 13-9.  The Blue Jays swept Johnson & Wales, 8-6 and 9-0, on April 6, split a contest against Mitchell, winning the 1st game 11-6 and losing the nightcap 10-1, on April 7.  The Blue Jays were swept by St. Joseph’s (ME), 8-3 and 3-1, on April 11.  Hummel is ranked 2nd in the GNAC in wins (8), 3rd in batters struck out (64), and is tied for 3rd in homeruns allowed (1).  St. Joseph (CT) is currently in 6th place in the GNAC, with a conference record of 8-8 and an overall record of 16-3.  The Blue Jays finish their regular season this weekend with doubleheaders against Simmons on April 17 and Mount Ida on April 18.

WEEKLY HONOR ROLL SELECTIONS

Brittany Martin, Emerson, Jr., Las Vegas, N.V.

Christine Clark, Norwich, Fr., Weymouth, Mass.

Mackenzie Pratt, Norwich, Jr., Hyde Park, V.T.

Courtney Collier, Simmons, Jr., Bolton, Mass.

Annie Thompson, Simmons, Jr., Pacific Palisades, C.A.