Weekly Award Winners: Fagan, Ricard, Nemeth Earn Player of the Week Honors
Top StoriesPlayer of the Week: Cameron Fagan, Virginia Tech
Fagan was an offensive leader for her Hokies in a pair of weekend games against Alabama and three midweek matchups against Longwood and Maryland-Eastern Shore. On the week, Fagan recorded a .667 batting average (12-18), with two home runs, nine RBIs, six runs scored, and two doubles. In a Tuesday doubleheader on the road against Longwood, Fagan recorded four hits, with a home run and three RBIs to her credit. Against UMES one day later, Fagan was 3-4 at the plate with her second home run of the week and six RBIs to her credit. She scored four runs in that game. In the weekend two-game set at Alabama, Fagan recorded a hit in the first game of the weekend, but starred in her Hokies’ victory over the Crimson Tide in game two. The senior infielder was 4-5 at the plate, but it was her 2-RBI single in the top of the 8th inning that broke a 3-3 tie and scored what would ultimately be the game-winning runs for her squad.
Pitcher of the Week: Kasey Ricard, Boston
The BU sophomore continued her dominant season in the circle, picking up four wins on the week and assembling a stellar stat line. In a midweek game against Yale and a three-game conference-opening set against Army, Ricard threw 26 innings, allowing nine hits while not allowing a run. She notched forty strikeouts on the week, including a season-high 14 Ks in the series finale against the Black Knights. In a midweek jaunt against Yale, Ricard threw a complete-game 2-hitter with eight strikeouts to her credit. In two games of a series-opening doubleheader against Army, Ricard threw matching five-inning outings, collecting nine strikeouts in each and throwing her third no-hitter of the season in game two. She finished her weekend with a 9-inning complete game, allowing just five hits and three walks while striking out 14.
Freshman of the Week: Bridget Nemeth, Penn State
In her first Big Ten series as a Nittany Lion, Nemeth was a workhorse in the circle for her squad. Starting the series opener and entering in relief in the latter two games of the weekend, Nemeth went 3-0, collected 16 innings pitched, and allowed nine hits, three runs, and struck out eight. In the series opener, Nemeth threw a complete game 1-hitter, outdueling Indiana’s Brianna Copeland in a battle of Big Ten aces. Entering in relief in the midst of the second inning in game two, Nemeth notched six innings of work, allowing six hits and, again, just one run. She struck out three, retiring most of the batters she faced via flyout. In the weekend finale, Nemeth threw three innings of stellar relief, allowing two hits and one run and, following her third win of the weekend, moving to 13-0 on the year.