Kim Howard and Paige Stringer Earn NEC Weekly Honors
Howard was crowned the Northeast Conference Player of the Week and Stringer earned her fourth NEC Rookie of the Week award.
Sophomore Kim Howard was named the Northeast Conference Player of the Week, while freshman Paige Stringer earned the NEC Rookie of the Week for the fourth time this season. The pair combined for nine hits and drove in 13 runs in a four-game sweep over Wagner.
Howard collected four hits over the week, with two of them going over the fence. The Swansea, MA native was tremendous with runners in scoring position, driving in a team high eight runs. Howard broke open game one against Wagner with a grand slam in the fourth inning to give CCSU a 10-1 lead. She followed up the grand slam with a clutch two-run shot in the third inning of game two, leading Central to a 6-2 victory. The sophomore was also stellar in the field, making two unbelievable diving plays in right field to save multiple extra-base hits.
Paige Stringer, the rookie out of Monroe, WA, was crowned the NEC Rookie of the Week for the fourth time. Over the week Stringer posted a batting average of .500 and reached base safely in 9 of 13 plate appearances. In the first game on Sunday with Wagner, Stringer belted her 11th home run which set a new CCSU single-season record. She finished the game going 2-3 and driving in three runs.
Pitcher Kari Marks was named a NEC Prime performer for her complete game on Saturday. She allowed just one earned run and picked up her fourth win of the season.
The Blue Devils meet with second place Saint Francis U for a four-game series on Wednesday and Thursday.