Softball's Fiederlein, DelConte Earn NECC Honors
ATTLEBORO, Mass. – A pair of Mitchell College softball players were honored by the New England Collegiate Conference on Monday.
Sophomore Brittany Fiederlein was named NECC Player of the Week while freshman Samantha DelConte was tabbed NECC Rookie of the Week. The duo helped the Mariners to a 6-0 record in conference play that included sweeps of Lesley University, Regis College and Bay Path University. Mitchell also became the first NECC team to sweep Lesley in the conference's seven-year history.
Fiederlein was dominant both at the plate and as a starting pitcher. She batted a team-high .563 with two home runs, five runs scored and five RBI for the week and recorded extra-base hits in four of the six contests. She slugged 1.125 for the week and recorded an on-base percentage of .682. Inside the circle, Fiederlein went 6-0 with two shutouts and a 1.08 ERA. She struck out 39 batters in 39.0 innings, including a career-high 13 in the opener at Bay Path.
Fiederlein, who earns NECC Player of the Week honors for the first time in her career, leads the Mitchell offense in batting (.405), RBI (13), home runs (3), slugging (.833), on-base percentage (.519) and walks (9). In 16 pitching appearances she is 8-5 overall with a 1.89 ERA and three shutouts, and she has already topped her strikeout total from last season with 74 in 89.0 innings.
DelConte, a catcher, batted .500 with four RBI and scored seven runs from the leadoff spot last week. She recorded a hit in every game and scored a run in five of six contests. She drove in the go-ahead run in extra innings in the opener at Bay Path, and in the nightcap she collected three hits and knocked in three runs. DelConte didn't commit an error in 44 total chances behind the plate and also threw out one runner.
A first-time recipient of NECC Rookie of the Week honors, DelConte has started all 18 games behind the plate this season and is batting .290 with five RBI and eight runs scored. In league play she is batting a team-high .481 and has hit safely in all eight NECC contests.
Mitchell (8-10 overall, 8-0 NECC) will next play at Fitchburg State University on Wednesday, April 15 at 3 p.m.