University of Massachusets Athletics
Balschmiter, Mollica Collect A-10 Weekly Awards
April 03, 2006 | Softball
April 3, 2006
AMHERST, Mass.. - Massachusetts freshman Brandice Balschmiter (Newark, N.Y.) has been named the Atlantic 10 Pitcher of the Week, while freshman third baseman Whitney Mollica (Windham, N.H.) was tabbed the Rookie of the Week the league office announced this afternoon. The duo were also selected the Dinn Brothers/UMass Co-Athletes of the Week and will be honored at this week's Sports Luncheon on Wednesday at 12:00 PM in the Cape Cod Room of the Student Union. For Mollica, this is her seventh A-10 honor (five Rookie of the Week, two Player of the Week), while it is the fifth accolade (four Pitcher of the Week, one Rookie of the Week) for Balschmiter. It is also the second time Mollica has been the UMass Athlete of the Week.
Mollica batted .600 on the week as UMass went 6-0 and upped its winning streak to eight games. She was 12-for-20 with eight runs scored, four doubles, one triple, three home runs and 13 RBI. Mollica posted a 1.350 slugging percentage and a .636 on-base percentage. In a sweep of previously undefeated Fordham on Sunday, Mollica was 6-for-10. She had a two-run home run in each game. In a doubleheader sweep at La Salle Friday, she was 4-for-5 and hit her first career grand slam. Mollica had four multi-hit and four multi-RBI games on the week and extended her hitting streak to 13 straight games.
Balschmiter went 4-0 with a 0.33 ERA as UMass went 6-0 and upped its winning streak to eight games. She pitched three complete games in three starts while posting two shutouts. Balschmiter allowed just one run on nine hits and six walks in 21 innings while striking out 26. She limited opposing batters to just a .122 batting average. In a one-hitter against La Salle last Friday, Balschmiter broke the UMass five-inning strikeout record with 13. The previous best was 12 by Olympian Danielle Henderson in 1997 against Virginia Tech. Balschmiter also had a two-hit shutout against Dartmouth last Wednesday. Against Fordham on Sunday, Balschmiter won the first game by allowing one run on just three hits for a complete-game win. She then pitched four scoreless innings of relief in game two.
Massachusetts (17-11, 6-0 A-10) will enjoy the week off before hosting the only other A-10 unbeaten team Charlotte on Sunday at the UMass Softball Complex. First pitch in game one of the doubleheader is set to be at 12:00 PM. Admission to all UMass Softball games is free. For those who cannot make it to Amherst Sunday, there will be a live audio broadcast at www.umassathletics.com beginning at 11:50 AM. Live stats will also be available via Gametracker at www.umassathletics.com.