Payan, Aldred and Hope Named Softball Players of the Week
MAAC Sports
MAAC Player of the Week
Ariana Payan, Saint Peter’s
Sophomore, 2B, 5-5, Highland, Calif./Redlands East Valley
Payan went 7-13 (.538) with three runs scored, two RBI, a double and two homers in four MAAC games over the weekend. Her two homers came in the second game at Rider on Sunday. The first homer gave tied the game 1-1, and the second homer extended the Peahens’ advantage to 5-1. Payan missed seven games before returning to the lineup on Saturday as she had to travel home to California due to a death in the family.
MAAC Pitcher of the Week
Mallory Aldred, Canisius
Junior, RHP, 5-9, Whitby, Ontario/Anderson CVI
Aldred went 1-0 and earned four saves in five appearances last week as the Golden Griffins posted six wins over Manhattan, Fairfield and Iona. She came on in relief and picked up her 11th career save at Manhattan to become the school’s all-time leader in career saves. In the nightcap, Aldred pitched 1.1 innings of relief and earned her fourth win of the season as the Griffs came back to defeat the Lady Jaspers, 2-1. In three appearances at home, against Fairfield and Iona, she posted three saves to give her nine for the season, which is a new school record for saves in a single-season.
MAAC Rookie of the Week
Lauren hope, Canisius
Freshman, OF, 5-2, Los Osos, Calif./Morro Bay
Hope hit a team-best .588 (10-for-17) with two doubles, nine runs scored, three RBIs and seven stolen bases as the Golden Griffins swept doubleheaders against Manhattan, Fairfield and Iona. She had at least one hit in every game last week to extend her hitting streak to a career-long eight games overall, and her seven steals on seven chances moved her to a perfect 22-for-22 in stolen base opportunities this season to make her the second player in school history to swipe 20-plus bases in a single season.