Veterans Utilize Experience to Earn #BIGEASTsb Weekly Honors
NEW YORK – Villanova’s Nikki Alden batted .600 with a 1.350 slugging percentage to earn the BIG EAST Softball Player of the Week award while St. John’s Tori Free tossed her first-career no-hitter and posted a 1.20 ERA to take home BIG EAST Pitcher of the Week honors.
BIG EAST Player of the Week
Nikki Alden, Villanova, Jr., INF
Alden led the Wildcats with 12 hits, 12 RBI, seven runs, four home runs, a triple and a double across seven games last week. In nonconference action, the junior helped Villanova collect back-to-back wins against Rider with six RBI. In Villanova’s conference-series finale against Seton Hall, she hammered out the go ahead home run; her second of the game, to break a 7-7 tie in the top of the seventh inning to help the Wildcats to an 8-7 win. Villanova took the series 2-1.
BIG EAST Pitcher of the Week
Tori Free, St. John’s, Sr.
Free clinched the series sweep over Providence in dramatic fashion as the senior tossed her first-career no-hitter and picked up nine strikeouts in the process. Free finished the week with one win and one save over three appearances, recording 17 strikeouts and a 1.20 ERA over 11.2 innings. The senior came in with one out and the bases loaded as the tying run was on deck in the series opener against Providence and got back-to-back strikeouts to secure her second save of the season. In two BIG EAST games, Free did not allow a hit and registered 11 strikeouts in addition to earning a win and save.
Weekly Honor Roll
Sam Dellinger, Creighton, UT, Fr.
Dellinger drove in seven runs at the plate and recorded a complete-game victory and a save in the circle as the Bluejays defeated Drake and secured two of three at Georgetown to open league play.
Lauren Herschberg, Villanova, Sr., INF.
The veteran knocked in 11 runs over 13 hits in Villanova’s 4-3 week, helping the Wildcats to consecutive wins over Rider and a 2-1 series mark against Seton Hall.
Theresa Kane, Georgetown, Jr., OF
Batting .455, Kane registered five hits and three runs in Georgetown’s conference-series opener against Creighton.
Kaitlin Mattera, St. John’s, Fr., 1B/C
Reaching base safely eight times in three BIG EAST games against Providence, Mattera batted .750, slugged 1.000 and registered two runs and three RBI.
Alexis Walkden, Seton Hall, INF
Walkden batted .600 against Villanova, including a 2-for-4, four-RBI and two home run outing in the series finale.