University of Massachusets Athletics
Meeks & Plourde Take A-10 Weekly Honors
May 10, 2011 | Softball
May 10, 2011
AMHERST, Mass. - A pair of UMass softball players were recognized on Monday for their standout efforts on the diamond last week. Freshman outfielder Tiffany Meeks was named Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Week and junior pitcher Sara Plourde was named the conference's Pitcher of the Week. Meeks hit .400 in three games, including key hits that led to two extra-inning victories. Plourde did not allow an earned run in 22 innings pitched.
This is the first-career A-10 honor for Meeks, a native of Salinas, Calif. For Plourde, this is her fourth Pitcher of the Week honor this season and 10th of the Bristol, Conn. native's career.
Meeks batted .400 at the plate last week and also had the Minutewomen's two most clutch hits of the week, leading the team to a 3-0 week. Meeks blasted a two-run home run in the top of the ninth inning to break a scoreless tie and lead UMass to a win at Rhode Island on Saturday. On Sunday, the rookie singled with two outs in the bottom of the eighth inning to drive in the winning run against Quinnipiac. She earlier in the game recorded an outfield assist on a double play that helped keep the shutout intact.
Meeks finished the week 4-for-10 at the plate with a .700 slugging percentage and a .455 on-base percentage, one home run, and three runs driven in.
Plourde led UMass to a 3-0 record last week and a clinch of a first round bye in the A-10 Tournament by not allowing a single earned run while pitching all 22 innings for the Minutewomen. She led UMass to two extra-inning victories, carrying shutouts into the extra frames in both. Plourde held the opposition to a .086 batting average while striking out 42 batters in 22 innings.
She struck out 18 in a nine-inning two-hitter against Rhode Island and followed that up with a five-inning two-hit shutout with nine Ks in game two of the doubleheader. On Sunday, she closed the regular season with a 15-strikeout, two-hit shutout of Quinnipiac at home.
The Minutewomen, the No. 2 seed, will face the winner of No. 3 Saint Joseph's and No. 6 Dayton in the Atlantic 10 Championship second round on Thursday at 3:30 p.m. in Charlotte.
