NORFOLK, Va., March 21, 2022 –
North Carolina Central sophomore Jaylah Barr has been named Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Softball Player of the Week, presented by Coca-Cola, it was announced on Monday. Meanwhile,
Morgan State sophomore Anaya Hunte and
Norfolk State freshman Kenna Higa are the Pitcher of the Week and Rookie of the Week, respectively.
Barr (SS/P, So., Batesville-Leesburg, S.C.) hit .545 to help the Eagles to a 3-2 record for the week. In five games, she tallied six hits, five RBIs, three home runs and a stolen base. In the opening and closing games of the MEAC series against South Carolina State, Barr went 2-for-3 with two RBIs and a homer. She scored two runs in the first game and added one more in the finale. Barr also added another home run in the doubleheader split against Western Carolina.
Hunte (P, So., Burlington, N.J.) went 2-0 with one save in five appearances for the week, finishing with an ERA of 2.33. She totaled 19 strikeouts in 15.0 innings pitched, allowing five runs on 10 hits and four walks. In the nightcap of the doubleheader against Coppin State, Hunte threw a school-record 13 strikeouts while allowing just one hit in the shutout win.
Higa (3B, Fr., Honolulu, Hawaii) hit .375 for the week with five RBIs and a .500 slugging percentage. In the series finale against Howard, she went 3-for-3 at the plate with four RBIs in the Spartans’ 16-5 win.
Other Top Performers
Shawnee Ronyak (Coppin State) went 3-for-5 with four RBIs and a run in a doubleheader against Syracuse.
Victoria Brown (Howard) hit .312 (5-for-16) with six RBIs, two runs scored, one home run, one triple and a walk in six games for the Bison.
Analise De La Roca (Howard) went 2-1 in four appearances, picking up wins over Bryant and Norfolk State.
Alyssa Vasquez (Howard) batted .412 (7-for-17) with five RBIs, four runs scored, two doubles, a home run and a walk in six games for the week.
Kelsie Ekstrom (Maryland Eastern Shore) went 5-for-8 with a double, an RBI and three runs scored in a three-game sweep of Delaware State.
Mia Ewell (Morgan State) hit .444 and tallied eight hits, five runs, two doubles and an RBI to help the Lady Bears to a 4-1 record for the week.
Tuli Iosefa (Norfolk State) compiled three hits and five RBIs in the Spartans’ series against Howard.
Joana Vallejo (Norfolk State) went 2-0 for the week in the pitching circle and tallied 12 strikeouts in 11 innings of work.
Jaden Davis (North Carolina Central) hit .444 with eight hits, five runs, three RBIs, three stolen bases and a double in five games.
Ashanti Eubanks (North Carolina Central) went 2-0 for the week with wins over Western Carolina and South Carolina State.
About the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference
The Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) is in its 51st year of intercollegiate competition with the 2021-22 academic school year. Located in Norfolk, Va., the MEAC is made up of eight outstanding historically black institutions across the Atlantic coastline: Coppin State University, Delaware State University, Howard University, University of Maryland Eastern Shore, Morgan State University, Norfolk State University, North Carolina Central University and South Carolina State University.