NORFOLK, Va., May 2, 2022 –Howard University senior Kalita Dennis and Morgan State junior Asia Thomas have been named Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Softball Co-Players of the Week, presented by Coca-Cola, it was announced on Monday. Meanwhile, Howard freshman Sidney Fletcher is the Rookie of the Week and Coppin State sophomore Vanessa Carrizosa is the Pitcher of the Week.
Dennis (OF, Sr., Elk Grove, Calif.) hit .556 (5-for-9) at the plate in a three-game sweep of Delaware State, which vaulted the Bison to No. 2 in the MEAC standings. She drove in three runs and scored four times, hitting a home run and walking three times. Dennis had a pair of two-hit games and drove in a pair in Sunday’s finale – when she hit that homer and had one of her two stolen bases for the week.
Thomas (OF, Jr., Tampa, Fla.) also batted .556 (5-for-9) as the Bears won the MEAC regular-season title and set program records for wins in a season (29) and MEAC wins in a season (18). She had two RBIs and a run scored, while also walking twice and recording a .667 on-base percentage. She also swiped two bags on the basepaths and hit safely in all three games against North Carolina Central (including a 3-for-4 effort on Sunday).
Fletcher (IF, Fr., Whittier, Calif.) was 3-for-6 (.500) at the plate in a three-game series against Delaware State, scoring three times and driving in a pair of runs. She hit three doubles in the series, two of which came in Sunday’s series finale – a game in which she went 2-for-3 at the plate with an RBI and a run scored.
Carrisoza (P, So., Moreno Valley, Calif.) tossed a complete-game shutout against South Carolina State, scattering four hits in five innings and striking out eight.
Other Top Performers
Brissa Alvarado (Coppin State) was 3-for-5 with a double, triple and four RBIs in a three-game sweep of South Carolina State.
Mia Gonzales (Howard) struck out six batters in four innings against Delaware State.
Anaya Hunte (Morgan State) struck out 17 batters in two appearances against North Carolina Central, including 12 in her first start on Saturday.
Tuli Iosefa (Norfolk State) hit two home runs this past week, one against N.C. State and another against Maryland Eastern Shore, to tie the program record for career homers
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.