Messina, Constantin Honored by ECAC
Messina and Constantin add ECAC honors to their list of accolades following exceptional performances on the diamond this past week.
Senior Laura Messina and freshman Tori Constantin of the Central Connecticut softball team picked up Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) weekly honors on Tuesay afternoon following their performances this past week on the diamond. Messina was named the Corvias ECAC Division I Pitcher of the Week and freshman Tori Constantin earned Corvias ECAC Division I New England Rookie of the Week honors.
Messina and Constantin, who were also tabbed the Northeast Conference (NEC) Pitcher and Rookie of the Week, helped CCSU go a perfect 4-0, including two wins in NEC play last week. Their efforts also helped the Blue Devils extend their current winning streak to six-straight games.
Central swept Fairfield last Thursday (4-3, 7-2) and Sacred Heart on Saturday (3-0, 3-0) to improve to 17-7 overall and 4-0 in NEC action on the season.
Messina was a force to be reckoned with in the circle last week, going 3-0 in three starts for the Blue Devils. The senior tossed three complete games, including two shutouts, struck out 39 batters, and allowed a miniscule .127 batting average against her. The Marlton, NJ product only allowed two earned runs and one extra base hit for the week, all coming on a two run home run in a 4-3 walk-off win over fellow Nutmeg State foe, Fairfield, on Thursday. Messina spun 23 innings of work and finished the week with a 0.78 ERA. She now sports a 13-3 record with a 1.01 ERA and has 150 strikeouts on the season.
The ECAC Pitcher of the Week award is the second for Messina so far this year.
Constantin was clutch for the Blue Devils this past week, hitting .375 (6-16) and slugging .688. She drove in three RBI's, scored a run and logged three extra-base hits for CCSU, including a home run and two doubles. The freshman proved to be the hero in Central's 4-3, comeback victory on Thursday at home against Fairfield. After the Blue Devils were able to knot the score at 3-3 in the bottom of the seventh inning, she singled up the middle past a diving shortstop with the bases loaded to plate the winning run in walk-off fashion. The rookie finished that game 3-for-4, including a home run earlier in the game.
In NEC play on Saturday against Sacred Heart, Constantin continued to stay hot and went 2-for-4 in the first game of the doubleheader. She ripped her third double of the season and also recorded her 17th RBI of the season in the game.
Messina, Constantin and the Blue Devils will return to action with another road NEC doubleheader this Thursday at LIU Brooklyn. The Thursday contests are makeup games from the Blue Devils and Blackbirds originally scheduled meetings back on March 28. First pitch for both games are scheduled for 3:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m.