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

WEEKLY HONORS

PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Jai Deese, North Carolina A&T

Senior | Outfield | Maxton, North Carolina / Purnell Swett

Deese batted .471 (8-for-17) and posted a .526 on-base percentage, leading the Aggies to a nonconference split against USC Upstate and their second straight CAA series victory. 

The senior outfielder added two home runs, with four RBIs and four runs scored, while drawing two walks. 

Deese hit safely in all five games, including three multi-hit performances, extending her hitting streak to seven contests. 

After going 2-for-4 with an RBI and run scored in the series-opener against Monmouth, Deese concluded the weekend with a 2-for-3 performance, recording a home run, two RBIs, two runs scored and a walk in the series-clinching win.

CO-PITCHER OF THE WEEK

Joey Barkhimer, North Carolina A&T

Sophomore | Santee, California / Santana

Barkhimer factored into all three North Carolina A&T victories in the circle, posting a 3-0 record, with a 0.49 ERA and nine strikeouts in 14.1 innings of work. 

The sophomore right-hander opened against USC Upstate, recording four strikeouts in three scoreless innings, as A&T prevailed 3-2. 

She followed the performance with eight scoreless innings in a 1-0 extra-inning victory over Monmouth. It matches her longest career outing. Barkhimer scattered six hits and tallied three strikeouts in the effort. 

More @CAASports weekly honors for @NCATSOFTBALL!! They are on a pretty good run. #aggiepride @NCATAGGIES @jai_deese @JoeyBarkhimer pic.twitter.com/0DhqnLGGNw

— N.C. A&T Athletics (@NCATAGGIES) April 10, 2023

CO-PITCHER OF THE WEEK

Emily Winburn, Delaware

Senior | Fort Lauderdale, Florida / Chaminade Madonna   

Winburn went 2-0 in the circle with a 0.50 ERA and nine strikeouts in 14 innings pitched, helping Delaware to a 4-0 week and its third straight CAA series sweep. 

The senior right-hander opened the weekend with a complete game shutout, scattering three hits and recording four strikeouts in a 1-0 win over Stony Brook. 

In the series finale, Winburn went the distance again, picking up five strikeouts, while allowing seven hits and one earned run to help the Blue Hens secure the series sweep. 

ROOKIE OF THE WEEK

Sierra Paradis, Charleston

Freshman | First Base | Canton, Georgia / Creekview 

Paradis batted .500 (6-for-12) in four starts last week, recording two RBIs and scoring one run. 

The freshman hit safely in all four games, including her first career multi-hit effort and home run.

In the weekend series, Paradis tallied five hits to help the Cougars to a CAA series victory against Drexel. She went 3-for-4 at the plate in Charleston’s 6-1 series-opening win over Drexel, before going 1-for-3 with the go-ahead homer in the top of the seventh to lift Charleston to a 3-2 win, clinching the series victory in Game 2.

Not 1⃣, not 2⃣, not 3⃣. Make it *4⃣* @CAASports Pitcher of the Week nods for @emily_winburn85! 👏

📰: https://t.co/bkFQj89FKt pic.twitter.com/ViQE7thhVt

— Delaware Softball (@Delaware_SB) April 10, 2023

CONFERENCE NOTES

THE HENS ARE HOT  

• Delaware has swept three straight conference series, winning nine consecutive CAA matchups and seven in a row overall. 

During the Blue Hens' hot streak, Delaware has five shutouts in league play and has outscored conference opponents 34-6. 

The Blue Hens are 10-2 in CAA play, sitting in first place in the conference standings. 

SEAHAWKS TAKING FLIGHT  

• UNCW has won three straight conference series and is one of two teams with three CAA series sweeps. 

The Seahawks have scored 56 runs, averaging 6.2 per game in their past three league series. 

UNCW has a conference-high 11 wins in second place.  

A&T PICKS UP TOP-100 RPI WIN

• North Carolina A&T earned a nonconference split with perennial Big South contender USC Upstate last Tuesday. 

The Spartans have had seven 40-win seasons in the past decade and swept A&T in their three-game Big South series last year. 

USC Upstate entered the week at 89 in the RPI, marking the fourth top-100 win for the league this spring.   

BREAK OUT THE BROOMS  

• 11 of the 22 three-game conference series this spring have resulted in sweeps. 

Even more impressive, six teams have earned a CAA series sweep. Charleston, Elon, Hofstra and Towson have one series sweep, while Delaware and UNCW have swept three apiece.

TEAM NOTES

Charleston

• Sierra Paradis batted .500 (6-for-12) in four starts last week, recording two RBIs and scoring one run. 

The freshman hit safely in all four games, including her first career multi-hit effort and home run. 

• Caroline Conner went 1-1 in the circle, posting a team-best 2.15 ERA. 

The freshman right-hander tossed 14 innings and collected 14 punchouts, including a career-high nine against Drexel.  

• Malaka Belser hit .400 (6-for-15) and posted a .471 on-base percentage. 

Belser reached safely in all five games, recording at least one hit in four. 

She added an RBI and run scored, ending the week with a four-game hitting streak.

Delaware

• Brittney Mendoza batted .455 (5-for-11), posting a .500 on-base percentage. 

Mendoza recorded team highs with four RBIs and four runs scored. 

The graduate infielder hit safely in all four games, extending her hitting streak to eight.

• Emily Winburn went 2-0 in the circle, throwing 14 innings with a 0.50 ERA and nine strikeouts. 

The senior right-hander fired back-to-back complete games, including her third complete-game shutout this spring. 

• Grace Hrustich went 5-for-10 at the plate and recorded a team-best .643 on-base percentage. 

She hit safely in three games, including her first multi-hit effort this spring. 

Hrustich has a hit in six of her seven appearances this year.

Drexel 

• Lana Mooney batted .412 (7-for-17) to lead the Drexel lineup, recording a team-best four RBIs. 

Mooney recorded two multi-hit efforts and at least one base knock in four games. She also scored one run. 

• Jessica Schable went 2-1 in the circle with a 2.00 ERA and 16 strikeouts in 21 innings pitched. 

Schable tossed three straight complete games, including a complete game shutout in the weekend finale. 

• Izzy Alamillo hit .353 (6-for-17) and recorded a .421 on-base percentage. 

Alamillo paced the Dragons with three runs scored and was second with six hits. She had two multi-hit games.

Elon 

• Reagan Hartley went 1-for-2 at the plate with a walk. She was one of two players to reach base twice for the Phoenix. It marks her fourth game this spring, reaching base safely twice. 

• Megan Grant was 1-for-3 at the plate, plus a walk, and she scored the lone run for Elon. 

Grant has scored seven runs in the past six games. 

She is second on the team with 19 this season. 

• Claudia Penny drove in Elon’s lone run with a sacrifice fly. She also drew a walk in the contest. 

Penny is third in the CAA with 30 RBIs this spring. 

Hampton 

• Julia Sinnett went 2-for-5 at the plate in two starts. She was the lone Lady Pirate to record multiple hits and drove in Hampton’s lone run. She hit safely in both of her appearances. 

• Kayla Domon was 1-for-8 at the plate and scored Hampton’s lone run. 

Doman leads the Lady Pirates with 19 runs scored this season and has three in the past four games. 

• Janae Lyles tallied one hit over the weekend. 

Lyles has hit safely in eight of her 11 games this season. 

The fifth-year player is hitting .368 with a .943 OPS since March 15. 

Hofstra 

• Meghan Giordano batted .400 (4-for-10), and led Hofstra with six RBIs in three starts. 

Giordano hit safely in all three games, including her league-leading 12th homer. 

Giordano also leads the CAA with 32 RBIs this spring. 

• Kasey Collins posted a team-best .500 on-base percentage. 

Collins was 4-for-12 at the plate and drew four walks. She added three runs scored and two RBIs, while ending the week on a three-game hitting streak. 

• The Morse sisters each had five hits to lead Hofstra. 

Alanna had two multi-hit efforts, with four RBIs and two runs scored. Brianna had hits in three straight games to end the weekend. She also had three runs scored and two RBIs.

Monmouth 

• Devin Coia batted a team-best .400 (4-for-10) and posted a .538 on-base percentage. 

Coia hit safely in all four games, extending her hitting streak to seven straight contests. Coia also tallied a team-high three RBIs. 

• Kylie Gletow went 1-1 in the circle with a team-best 1.66 ERA. 

The senior right-hander tossed 12.2 innings, appearing in three of the team's four games and tallying eight strikeouts. 

• Bri Lawson batted .364 (4-for-11) and scored a team-high three runs. 

Lawson hit safely in all three conference games, ending the weekend on a three-game hitting streak. 

She also recorded her fourth multi-hit effort this spring.

North Carolina A&T

• Jai Deese batted .471 (8-for-17) and posted a .526 on-base percentage. 

The senior outfielder added two home runs, with four RBIs and four runs scored. 

Deese hit safely in all five games, including three multi-hit performances, extending her hitting streak to seven contests.

• Joey Barkhimer factored into all three A&T victories in the circle, posting a 3-0 record, with a 0.49 ERA and nine strikeouts in 14.1 innings of work. 

• Megan Ellis hit .278 (5-for-18) and matched a team-high with four RBIs. 

Ellis hit safely in the final four games this weekend and has at least one hit in seven of the past nine.  

UNCW

• Mary Sobataka batted .500 (6-for-12) and posted a .571 on-base percentage. She led UNCW with three RBIs and three runs scored. 

Sobataka hit safely in 4-of-5 games, including two multi-hit efforts.

She ended the weekend on a three-game hitting streak. 

• Kara Hammock was 1-1 in the circle, throwing a team-high 11 innings. 

The sophomore right-hander did not allow an earned run in her work and tallied 12 punchouts. 

• Tayler Vitola recorded a team-high seven hits and batted .500 for the week. 

Vitola hit safely in four straight games to end the week, including two multi-hit efforts. She also scored two runs and drove in one. 

Stony Brook

• Alyssa Costello batted .400 (6-for-15) with a team-high six hits. 

The sophomore also matched a team-high with four RBIs and added one run scored. 

Costello recorded at least one hit in four games, including two multi-hit efforts. 

• Ashton Melaas went 1-2 in the circle in a team-high 19.1 innings pitched. 

The senior right-hander posted a team-best 1.09 ERA and led the way with 11 strikeouts. 

The win was her third complete game shutout this spring.

• Alicia Orosco hit safely in four games, recording five hits with a .278 batting average. 

Orosco has at least one hit in five of the past six games. She added two runs scored over the week. 

Towson

• Ally Hickman batted .417 (5-for-12) and posted a team-best .462 on-base percentage. 

Hickman led the way with four runs scored and added four runs batted in. 

Hickman went 4-for-7 with four runs and three RBIs in Towson’s two wins. 

• Madyson Peters tallied a team-high six hits, batting .375 (6-for-16) throughout the week. 

The junior catcher added four RBIs and one run scored. 

Peters has hit safely in 12 of the past 13 games, with five multi-hit efforts in that span.

• Mackenzie Lake hit safely in all four games, posting a .357 (5-for-14) batting average. 

Lake had a team-high five RBIs and scored three runs. 

She has at least one hit in 30-of-36 games this season.