NEW YORK – Two freshman Friars have collected the weekly BIG EAST Softball awards for their performances over the weekend as the weather played a factor in several series. Jessica Tomaso picks up her first recognition as the Player of the Week, while Daniela Alvarez takes home her second Pitcher of the Week honor of the season. Providence swept the series at home against preseason favorite, Creighton, and took down Bryant and Rhode Island in non-conference action during the past week.
BIG EAST Player of the Week
Jessica Tomaso, Providence, Fr., INF (Milford, Mass.)
Tomaso played a big factor in the Friars’ success versus the Bluejays as she collected a league-best seven RBI and seven hits, which was second-most over the past week. Tomaso hit a walk-off grand slam in the second game against Creighton to give Providence the 5-3 win, and had a walk-off double to defeat Rhode Island, 4-3. The rookie finished the week with a .412 batting average, .647 slugging percentage and .444 on base percentage.
BIG EAST Pitcher of the Week
Daniela Alvarez, Providence, Fr., P (Santa Ana, Calif.)
Alvarez went 3-0 in her starts during the past week with wins over Rhode Island and two versus Creighton. The newcomer tallied a conference-best 19 strikeouts in four contests, including 10 in two games against the Bluejays. She allowed six earned runs in 17.1 innings of work in her two league starts, finishing the week with an ERA of 1.83 and opposing batting average of .177. Alvarez also picked up the save in a non-conference win against Bryant.
BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll
Kailey Wilson, Creighton, Fr., INF (Aurora, Colo.)
Wilson connected on a pinch-hit home run to tie the game against Providence to force extra innings in the first game of the series, and hit a triple in the second game for her first two career extra-base hits. The freshman had a batting average of .500 and a slugging percentage of 1.125 to close out the week.
Jessica Cothern, DePaul, Jr., C/3B (Plainfield, Ill.)
Cothern went 3-for-4 against Seton Hall in the weather-shortened one-game series. She scored two runs and had five RBI in the contest, which included a three-run homer to help secure the victory for the Blue Demons. She also collected an RBI single in a win versus Northwestern in non-league play, ending the week with a batting average of .500.
Laura Delgado, St. John’s, Jr., UT (Hesperia, Calif.)
Delgado picked up five hits, three runs and hit .625 in the Red Storm’s two games versus Georgetown. She clinched the second game for St. John’s off one of her two RBI in the series and safely stole a base.
Hailey Arteaga, Seton Hall, Jr., OF (Upland, Calif.)
Arteaga went 5-for-9 with three RBI and scored two runs in just two games against Fairfield and DePaul. She also helped the offense with an RBI double versus the Blue Demons, finishing with a batting average of .556.
Paige Rauch, Villanova, So., P/INF (Windsor, N.Y.)
Rauch made the most out of the one game the Wildcats got in the past week. In one non-conference game against La Salle, the sophomore hit 3-for-4, scored two runs and drove in another three runs by way of a double and a home run for an 8-7 Villanova win.