MAC Announces Softball Players of the Week
East Division Player of the Week
Emily Dobbin, Kent State
Outfield,
Senior, Vancouver, Washington / Skyview
Kent State senior outfielder Emily Dobbin hit the game-tying double against Evansville in the Golden Flashes come from behind win and led the offense hitting .667 on the week. Dobbin had her best week of the season, going 8-for-12 at the plate with eight hits, one double, four RBIs and four runs scored. The All-MAC Second Team member from a season ago registered a slugging percentage of .750 and an on base percentage of .667. Against UIC Dobbin was 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI. She had her biggest game of the weekend against Evansville, going 3-for-4 with two RBIs and three runs scored. She drove home the game-tying run and scored the go-ahead tally. In this weekend finale the senior was again an instrumental part of a win hitting 3-for-4 with two runs scored.
West Division Player of the Week
Bailey Curry, Toledo
Catcher,
Freshman, Frankfort, Ky. / Anderson County
Freshman Bailey Curry continued her hot start to the season during the Rockets' spring break trip to the northwest corner of the country. Curry hit three home runs including a pair of grand slams and drove in 12 runs in Toledo's eight games. She was also walked six times and contributed a sacrifice fly to the Rockets' offensive efforts. Curry finished the week hitting .360 (9-for-25), slugging .800 and getting on base just under 50 percent of the time (.469). On the season, Curry leads the team in average (.338), home runs (6), RBIs (19), hits (23), doubles (3), walks (8) and slugging (.595).
East Division Pitcher of the Week
Courtney Vierstra, Miami
Pitcher
Freshman, Thornville, Ohio/Lakewood
Courtney Vierstra had another impressive weekend in the circle for the RedHawks while at the Maryland Invitational. Against Jacksonville, Vierstra pitched a complete game shutout, helping Miami earn a 6-0 win. Vierstra combined with Shannon Hohman for the 2-0 shutout win against host-team Maryland, also recording a save. Vierstra appeared in all four games this weekend, pitching 14.1 innings total and recording 14 strikeouts while only giving up three walks.
West Division Pitcher of the Week
Jordan Kurth, Western Michigan
Pitcher
Junior, Aurora, Ill. Waubonsie Valley
Junior Jordan Kurth led Western Michigan in the circle this past week as the Broncos went 7-0 in Clearwater, Fla. and are now 13-10 overall. The lefty put together three outstanding appearances against Penn (4-3 8 INN), Central Connecticut State (4-3) and Villanova (12-5), earning two wins and improved to 4-3 this season on the mound. Against Penn, Kurth pitched a complete game, allowing seven hits, two runs and one walk to go along with a game-high six strikeouts before earning her second consecutive win over the CCSU Blue Devils. The Aurora, Ill. native threw 4.0 innings, allowing two hits and two runs all while striking out another game-high six batters. Against Villanova, Kurth came on to pitch the final 3.0 innings for the Broncos as she gave up just three hits, no runs and struck out a game-high four. For the week, Kurth held a 1.40 era and delivered a team-high 16 strikeouts all while holding her opponents to a .200 batting average.
Other Player Nominees
Erika Underwood, Central Michigan
First Base
Junior, Pittsford, Mich./Addison
Central Michigan posted a 3-4 record during the second half of its Spring Break trip in Clearwater, Fla. Junior Erika Underwood led the team at the plate with nine hits, four RBI and two doubles. She posted a .500 on-base percentage and .500 slugging percentage over the seven games. She went two-of-four at the plat with a RBI in a 5-4 loss to Saint Joseph’s on March 9. The junior posted a double in back-to-back games vs. Chattanooga and Villanova. Underwood recorded three RBI on two hits in a 5-3 victory over Lehigh on March 10. She closed out the Spring Break trip going two-of-three in a 6-1 win over Seton Hall on March 11. Underwood ranks second on the team with a .411 batting average (23-of-56), but leads in RBI (16), doubles 96) and home runs (4).
Janae Hogg, Ball State
1B / DP
Sophomore, Indianapolis, Ind./Cathedral
Sophomore slugger Janae Hogg helped guide the Ball State softball team to a 4-3 record last week by batting .318, with four home runs and a .909 slugging percentage. She also collected a team-high six RBI and score four runs. She recorded at least one hit in five of the seven games, while homering in four different contests, including each of the last three. She had two hits in games at UCF and vs. No. 21/22 Michigan. Hogg opened the scoring in Ball State's 2-1 loss at UCF (March 6), belting a first-inning home run to give the Cardinals a 1-0 edge in the contest.
With the Cardinals trailing 1-0 in the bottom of the fourth versus LIU Brooklyn (March 9), Hogg added her second home run of the week with a leadoff solo shot to spark a four-run inning and help Ball State rally for an 8-1 win. Hogg's biggest blast of the week came in the come-from-behind win over Florida A&M (March 9), when her two-run blast in the top of the seventh drove in what proved to be the game-winning run. Hogg closed the week with a 2-for-3 effort versus nationally ranked Michigan. Following a first inning single, Hogg deposited her fourth home run of the week over the fence in left field in the sixth inning to drive in two runs and tie the score at 2-2.
Michaela Dorsey, Ohio
Outfield
RS Junior, Grove City, Ohio/ Central Crossing
Michaela Dorsey led Ohio at the plate this past weekend at the Liberty Softball Classic, March 9-11 in Lynchburg, Va. Overall on the weekend, Dorsey hit .333 with five hits, one double, two home runs, three runs scored and eight RBI. She also had an .800 slugging percentage, a .375 on base percentage. She drew one walk and registered 12 total bases. In the field, Dorsey did not commit an error, while also recording two putouts. On March 9 against 12th-ranked Baylor, Dorsey went 1-for-3 with a three-run home run in the first inning. She recorded three RBI and one run scored. Later in the day against host Liberty. Dorsey once again when 1-for-3 at the plate. On March 10th against Delaware, Dorsey went 2-for-4 with a home run, double, one run scored and four RBI in Ohio's 8-0 run rule victory of the Blue Hens. Then later in the day against Liberty again, Dorsey went 1-for-2 with an RBI and a sacrifice hit.
Kimberly Rodriguez, Akron
2nd Base
R-Junior, Las Vegas, Nevada / Southeast Career and Technical Academy
Kimberly Rodriguez led the Akron offense this past weekend driving in or scoring six of the Zips 14 runs at the Eastern Kentucky Invitational. Rodriguez posted her most efficient weekend this season hitting .455 (5-for-11), posting a 1.091 slugging percentage, and a .455 on-base percentage. Four of Rodriguez's five hits were extra-base hits as the Zips second baseman tallied two doubles along with the first triple and home run of her Akron career. Heading into the weekend, Rodriguez led the MAC in stolen bases and continued to add to her total as she swiped three stolen bases in three attempts. In the field, the starting second baseman for Akron recorded five putouts and eight assists.
Skyler Sobeski, Western Michigan
Infielder
Junior, Bronson, Mich. / Bronson
Junior Skyler Sobeski played a big role for the Western Michigan softball team last week in Clearwater, Fla. as the Broncos posted an undefeated record of 7-0 and are now 13-10 overall. The infielder notched a .417 batting average with a team-high seven RBI to go along with two walks and five runs scored. Sobeski went 2-for-3 from the plate with a team-high four runs scored in 14-6 victory versus Delaware State before becoming the hero in a 6-3 win over American Athletic Conference opponent UCF. The Bronson, Mich. native delivered her first career home run off a grand slam over center field in the bottom of the third to help seal the win over the Knights. In the final two games in the Sunshine State, Sobeski connected for a double and had two RBI in a 12-5 victory over Villanova and in a 3-1 win against Rider she went 1-for-3 to conclude the week.
Alex Sorgi, Bowling Green
CF
Junior Shelby Township, Mich. / Henry Ford II
Bowling Green junior CF Alex Sorgi hit a team-best .545 in seven games last week, going 12-for-22 at the plate. She also walked three times for an on-base percentage of .600, and she had six stolen bases, including four in a win over Mississippi Valley State. Sorgi currently has an eight-game hitting streak, with three multiple-hit games in her last five contests, including three-hit games in wins over MVSU and Butler. On the season, Sorgi has started all 22 games in center field, and is hitting .371 with a team-high 12 walks and an OBP of .463. She also leads the Falcons with 10 stolen bases. BGSU is 13-9 this season to date.
Kayla Scaperrotta, Northern Illinois
OF,
Sophomore, Margate, Fla. /Coral Springs Carter School
In the EKU Invitational, Kayla Scaperrotta (Margate, Fla. /Coral Springs Carter School) hit .529 with a homer and three runs batted in. The Huskie sophomore hit a two-run homer in the, 9-8, loss to Western Carolina on Sunday and sparked a three-run first inning. Scaperrota added two of the 16 doubles that the Huskies smacked, and registered an on-base percentage of .556, while slugging .824. The Outfielder also led the team with nine hits at the EKU Invitational.
Other Pitcher Nominees
Laura Vaccaro, Central Michigan
Pitcher
Junior, Saline, Mich./Saline
Central Michigan posted a 3-4 record during the second half of its Spring Break trip in Clearwater, Fla. Junior Laura Vaccaro led the Chippewas in the circle pitching 14.1 total innings with a 1.47 ERA and a .118 opponent batting average. She earned the save in 3.2 innings on the 3-0 victory over Binghamton on March 6. The junior earned the start in the circle against Villanova on March 10. Vaccaro pitched 3.2 innings to clinch the 6-1 win over Seton Hall on March 11. She struck out three batters and gave up one hit. In addition, she posted a two-run home run vs. Seton Hall. Vaccaro leads the team with a 1.96 ERA.
Aeshia Miles, Ball State
Starting Pitcher
Junior, Lawrenceville, Ga./Collins Hill
Junior pitcher Aeshia Miles continued to dominate opposing teams over her four starts last week, striking out 27 batters over 25.2 innings and limiting opposing teams to just six earned runs for a 1.64 ERA. In posting a 2-2 record in her four starts, Miles picked up wins at Florida Atlantic (March 8) and versus LIU Brooklyn (March 9), while suffering 1-run setback at both UCF (March 6) and to No. 21/22 Michigan. She started the week by striking out six batters and issuing no walks over 6.0 innings of work in a 2-1 loss at UCF. She also held the Knights to just six hits in the game. In a dominating win over the Owls, Miles struck out 10 batters and allowed just two earned runs in a complete game victory. It's just the second time in her career Miles has struck out 10-or-more batters in a game. Against the Blackbird, Miles struck out six more batters over 6.0 innings, allowing just six hits and one earned run. Miles closed the week with a solid performance against the nationally ranked Wolverines, striking out five batters and surrendering just one earned run. Unfortunately, a pair of defensive miscues by the Cardinals helped Michigan escape with a 3-2 victory.
Alex Frenz, Northern Illinois University
Pitcher,
Junior Oakville, Mo./ Oakville
At the EKU Invitational, junior Alex Frenz (Oakville, Mo./ Oakville) was a vital part of the Huskie relieve pitching efforts. The Huskie hurler posted a 0.00 ERA only giving up five unearned runs in 11.2 innings of work. Frenz also struck out nine batters and only walked two batters. She also earned her second win of the season against Western Carolina coming in to relieve Tara Thacker. In Friday's game against Eastern Kentucky, Frenz posted three-and-a-third innings and gave up only two hits and struck out three in relief.
