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

WEEKLY HONORS

PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Kaitlyn Wells, Elon 

Sophomore | Outfield | Roswell, Georgia / Pope  

Wells batted .625 (5-for-8), hitting safely in all three games during Elon’s CAA series win over Towson this weekend. The sophomore outfielder recorded three extra-base hits, including two home runs and one double, with five RBIs and two runs scored. 

After dropping the first game of the series, Wells was 1-for-3 in Game 2, recording a two-run homer in a 6-5 win, helping the Phoenix pull even in the series. 

In the rubber match, the sophomore went 3-for-3 with a double, solo home run, three RBIs and one run scored, leading Elon to the series victory. 

CO-PITCHER OF THE WEEK

Payton Lemire, Charleston

Senior | Fort Mill, South Carolina / Fort Mill  

Lemire went 2-0 in 14 innings of work with a 0.50 ERA and 12 strikeouts, leading Charleston to a weekend sweep over Hampton. 

On Saturday, Lemire secured the series win with a complete-game shutout, scattering two hits and matching a season-high with seven punchouts. 

The right-hander followed the performance with a complete-game effort, picking up five strikeouts and allowing one earned run to complete the sweep Sunday.   

CO-PITCHER OF THE WEEK

Ashton Melaas, Stony Brook

Senior | Rockton, Illinois / Hononegah Community   

Melaas posted a 0.43 ERA with 11 strikeouts, going 1-1 in 16.1 innings pitched. 

The senior right-hander led Stony Brook to its first CAA win, tossing a complete-game shutout in the series opener against Drexel. Melaas scattered five hits and matched a season-high with five strikeouts in the effort. 

Earlier in the week, the senior threw a career-high 8.2 innings against St. John’s, allowing six hits and one earned run, while punching out four, despite picking up the loss in extra innings. 

ROOKIE OF THE WEEK

Karlee Hughes, Charleston

Freshman | Third Base | Saint Leonard, Maryland / Calvert 

Hughes hit safely in all three games over the weekend, posting a .500 (5-for-10) batting average with four RBIs, four runs scored and two stolen bases, as Charleston earned a series sweep over Hampton. 

The freshman third baseman tallied multi-hit efforts over the last two games of the weekend, going 2-for-2 with two RBIs and a run scored in Game 2, before a 2-for-4 performance with two RBIs in the weekend finale. 

Hughes extended her hitting streak to six games and has at least one hit in 7-of-9 conference matchups this spring. 

B5 | Hughes sends one to deep left to add another for the Cougs!

CofC 3, HU 1#TheCollege 🌴🥎 pic.twitter.com/w8XYjhMHi6

— Charleston Softball (@CofCSoftball) March 26, 2023

CONFERENCE NOTES

ELON WINS THIRD STRAIGHT CAA SERIES  

• Elon has won each of its first three CAA series and is the lone team in the league to accomplish the feat. 

The Phoenix opened their conference slate with a sweep over Stony Brook, beginning CAA play 3-0 for the first time since 2016. 

Elon followed with series wins over Monmouth and Towson, improving to 7-2 in conference play. 

It marks the best nine-game start for the Phoenix in CAA play since joining the league. 

PRIDE EARNS BACK-TO-BACK SERIES WINS

• Hofstra sits atop the CAA standings after winning its first two conference series this spring. 

The Pride opened league play with a series sweep over local rival Stony Brook, before taking 2-of-3 from Monmouth this past weekend. 

Hofstra is 5-1 in CAA play, marking the second straight season the Pride have won five of its first six conference games. 

BREAK OUT THE BROOMS  

• Seven of the 13 three-game conference series this spring have resulted in sweeps. Even more impressive, six teams have earned a CAA series sweep. Charleston, Delaware, Elon, Hofstra and Towson have one series sweep, while UNCW has two.

TEAM NOTES

Charleston 

• Karlee Hughes hit safely in all three games over the weekend, posting a .500 (5-for-10) batting average with four RBIs, four runs scored and two stolen bases. Hughes extended her hitting streak to six games.

• Payton Lemire went 2-0 in 14 innings of work with a 0.50 ERA and 12 strikeouts. After back-to-back complete games, Lemire has seven seven-inning efforts this spring. She ranks second in the CAA with 77.2 innings pitched.

• Aniz Roman batted a team-best .556 (5-for-9) and posted a .636 on-base percentage. Roman added three RBIs and two runs scored. She hit safely in all three games.

Delaware 

• Taylor Wroten went 1-1 in the circle, posting a 0.76 ERA with seven strikeouts in 18.1 innings. Wroten tossed a complete game shutout in Delaware’s victory, before 10.1 in the weekend finale, despite the setback in extras. 

Wroten leads the CAA with a .191 opposing batting average this spring.

• Julz Garber tallied multiple hits in all four games, recording a team-best .500 batting average (9-for-18). Garber has 12 multi-hit efforts this spring and ranks third in the CAA in total hits (32). She also is fourth in batting average (.372).

• Kiara Mills hit .417 with five hits, including three doubles. Mills added one RBI and one run scored. The graduate student leads Delaware with 16 RBIs this season. 

Drexel 

• Lana Mooney batted .429, leading the Drexel lineup with three hits. 

Mooney was 3-for-4 with one RBI and one run scored in the weekend finale. It marks a career-high in hits for the sophomore. 

• Ashley Errico hit safely in both games, batting .333 during the doubleheader. Errico went 1-for-3 in both contests, adding one run and a walk. She extended her hitting streak to five games. 

• Lily Meuninck batted .286 (2-for-7) and recorded two RBIs to lead the Dragons. Meuninck went 2-for-4 with two RBIs in the weekend finale. It marks her second multi-hit effort this spring.

Elon 

• Wells batted .625 (5-8), hitting safely in all three games during the weekend. The sophomore outfielder recorded three extra-base hits, including two home runs and one double, with five RBIs and two runs scored. 

• Claudia Penny recorded a team-high seven RBIs, hitting .400 (4-10) over the weekend with two runs scored. In the series finale, Penny was 3-for-3 with a walk, double, homer, seven RBIs and two runs scored. 

Penny leads the CAA in hits (34) and RBIs (27) and ranks second in batting average (.391). 

• Isley Duggins went 1-0 in the circle, pitching a complete game in the second game of the weekend series. Duggins scattered 10 hits, allowing one earned run, while striking out six.

Hampton 

• Janae Lyles hit safely in all five games, posting a team-best .368 (7-for-19). 

Lyles hit her first home run this season, adding two RBIs, two runs scored and a walk throughout the week. 

The fifth-year first baseman has a hit in all seven of her games this spring. 

• Julia Sinnett batted .357 (5-14) and posted a .500 on-base percentage. Sinnett tallied five hits with two RBIs and two runs scored. In addition, the graduate student drew four walks.

• Kayla Domon hit .316 (6-for-19) with a team-high five RBIs and one run scored. Domon had two multi-hit efforts and has seven games with at least two hits this season. 

Hofstra 

• Annabella Pisapia made four appearances in the circle, picking up her first win and save this season. Pisapia did not allow an earned run in 10.1 innings pitched. She scattered eight hits and picked up seven strikeouts. 

• Brianna Morse paced the Hofstra lineup, hitting .368 (7-for-17) with five RBIs and one run scored. Morse hit safely in four games, including two multi-hit efforts. 

• Meghan Giordano batted .300 (6-for-20), ending the weekend on a five-game hitting streak. Giordano tallied a team-high five runs scored with three RBIs. 

Monmouth 

• Eve Serrato batted .308 (4-for-13) to lead the Monmouth lineup. She had two doubles, two RBIs and one run scored throughout the week. Serrato had multi-hit efforts in back-to-back games to end the weekend. 

• Mackenzie Bloss matched a team-high with four hits, batting .267 for the week. Bloss added two RBIs and two runs scored. In the Monmouth victory, Bloss was a homer shy of the cycle, going 3-for-4 with a single, double and triple. 

• Billie Kerwood tossed a team-high 18.2 innings pitched. The right-hander went 1-2 in the circle with 16 strikeouts and a 2.62 ERA. Kerwood leads the CAA in strikeouts (71). 

North Carolina A&T

• Jai Deese batted .375 (3-8) with a team-high two RBIs and one run scored. Deese hit safely and recorded an RBI in the last two games of the weekend. In addition, she tallied her ninth multi-hit effort this season.

• Katriel Williams matched a team-best, hitting .375 (3-for-8). Williams hit safely in all three games, marking her longest hitting streak this season. Williams added one run scored.  

• Makayla Layton hit safely in the final two games of the weekend. The freshman infielder has had a hit in three of her past four games. Layton also recorded one RBI and one run scored. 

UNCW 

• Elizabeth Winstead batted .545 (6-for-11) to pace the UNCW lineup. Winstead hit safely in all four games, scoring four runs with one RBI throughout the week. 

The sophomore has at least one hit in all seven appearances this spring.

• Kara Hammock went 1-0 in the circle and picked up her first save this season. Hammock tossed eight innings without allowing an earned run and struck out 10. 

Hammock is second in the CAA with a 1.86 ERA this season. 

• Mary Sobataka tallied five hits, batting .455 with four runs scored and three RBIs. Sobataka hit safely in three-of-four games, including two multi-hit efforts. 

Stony Brook

• Ashton Melaas posted a 0.43 ERA with 11 strikeouts, going 1-1 in 16.1 innings pitched. Melaas tossed 7.2 innings of shutout ball in CAA play, including a complete game effort. It came after a career-long outing of 8.2 innings in a midweek contest.

• Ashley Jacobson batted a team-best .444 (4-for-9), including .667 (4-for-6) in their CAA doubleheader. Jacobson tallied a team-high four runs scored and added an RBI courtesy of a solo homer. 

• Naiah Ackerman tallied three hits, batting .300 for the week. Ackerman added four RBIs and one run scored. The freshman hit safely and tallied at least one RBI in both CAA contests.

Towson 

• Mackenzie Lake continued an impressive start to the season by batting .421 (8-for-19). She tallied a team-high eight hits with five runs scored and three RBIs. Lake leads the CAA in batting average (.398) and on-base percentage (.462) this spring.

• Cori Jones matched a team-high with three RBIs and added three runs scored. Jones hit safely in four games throughout the week and batted .235 (4-for-17). 

• Maddie Gardner made four appearances in the circle, going 1-2 with a 3.73 ERA. The junior right-hander collected 14 punchouts in 15 innings of work. In addition, she tossed a complete game shutout in the Towson win.