WEXFORD, Pa. – Bethany College sophomore Maria Vallone (Rochester, N.Y./Webster Schroeder) was named the Presidents’ Athletic Conference (PAC) Softball Hitter of the Week for April 18, the second time she has received that recognition from the conference this year and third time in her career.
The Bison right fielder, who was also tabbed the PAC Hitter of the Week back on March 14, helped her team go 3-3 last week, but post two big conference victories Friday at Grove City. In her first action of the week, she was 2-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored in BC’s 4-1 game-one victory over Capital April 14.
Then in the PAC twinbill at Grove City Friday, Vallone had three hits, three RBIs and two runs scored in a crucial sweep. In the opener, Vallone was 2-for-3 with two RBIs, including the game-winner on a sacrifice fly in the sixth inning, as Bethany rallied from a 5-0 deficit to nip the Wolverines 6-5.
In the nightcap, Vallone was in the middle of another Green and White rally. Trailing 1-0 going into the sixth, she laced an RBI triple to score the tying run and then came home on a ground out for the go-ahead score in Bethany’s 2-1 triumph that raised the team’s PAC record to 5-1.
Although the Bison (17-13) would drop both ends of a doubleheader Sunday to Case Western Reserve, Vallone kept hitting, gathering a pair of singles in both games. For the week, she hit .588 (10-17) with four RBIs and four runs scored.
For the season, she is now up to second in the conference with a .473 batting average and 43 hits, while ranking third in runs scored (25) and total bases (52). Vallone is also the leader on the Bison with 11 walks and is second with 18 RBIs and seven doubles.
A physical education major, Maria is the daughter of Robert & Lesley Vallone of Rochester, N.Y.
Discussion about this post