Charlotte ace Emily Jeffery set the school record for career strikeouts with 590 over the weekend.
Jeffery passed former 49er Kristen Bowen on Saturday, striking out the fourth batter of the game to cement the record in her own name. She has 150 strikeouts this year, fourth most in a single season by a 49er.
Jeffery already holds the school’s single-season strikeout record from last year, fanning 294 batters. During this year’s campaign, Jeffery has a 13-4 record, a 1.23 earned run average and seven shutouts on the season.
Charlotte now holds a five-game winning streak, giving up a total of three runs combined during the stretch. During conference play, the 49ers have dominated every facet of every game, outscoring their opponents, 31-2.
Fagan hits her way to POW
Another senior led her team to back-to-back victories as Temple’s Danielle Fagan brought home the Atlantic 10 Player of the Week award for her efforts at the plate against St. Bonaventure in a two-game series over the weekend.
During the series, Fagan delivered for the Owls, going 4-for-5 at the dish, with three home runs and five runs batted in. Fagan has put together an impressive senior campaign, hitting .313 while compiling four home runs, 21 RBIs and a .554 slugging percentage.
The Owls seemed to find themselves offensively against the Bonnies with 16 runs over the series.
Rams stun in A-10 play
Predicted to finish in the basement of the Atlantic 10 conference standings, Rhode Island put itself in a good situation with a 4-2 conference record.
The Rams drove in runners with 24 runs in four games while the pitching staff gave up six runs.
A key offensive piece to their success has been senior Melissa Wilson, who has racked up 10 of her 17 RBIs on the season in conference play, while also posting a staggering .750 slugging percentage.
Sophomores lead the way
Saint Louis, who was predicted to finish in the top 5 of the conference, won its games with timely hitting by everyone in the lineup, but more significantly with their pitching and defense.
The Billikens are 7-2 over their last nine games, shutting out their opponents in four of those seven wins. Sophomores Kelcie Matesa and Hannah Huebbe lead the team, both compiling earned run averages below 2.00, while racking up over 150 strikeouts, 14 complete games and a batting average against around .225.
Parks delivers; takes home ROW
Saint Joseph’s Dana Parks came through for her team last week, delivering two hits in the second game of a double-header against SBU and secured her spot as the A-10 Rookie of the Week.
Despite the losing record in conference play, Parks has become a leader for the Hawks, batting a team-high .333 while starting 19 games as a freshman. Sophomore Erin Gallagher currently has a 1.97 ERA, six complete games and 124 strikeouts in 117 innings of work.
Games to look for
Conference play will continue later this week for all teams vying for spot in the tournament in early May. Teams such as Massachusetts and Fordham will host the next few games, looking to separate themselves from the rest of the conference pack. Other top teams like Charlotte and Saint Louis will travel on the road, looking to take down the perennial powerhouses that remain the cream of the crop.
Scott Cournoyer can be reached at [email protected].
