2015 Softball Players of the Week

  • Kayla St. John, Lynchburg, So., Third Base
    April 20, 2015
    St. John, a sophomore from Suffolk, Va., brought her power bat to the table as she helped Lynchburg to a sweep of Randolph-Macon. St. John went 4-for-8 overall in the two games with three going for extra bases. In game one, she tied the score 5-5 in the seventh with a three-run homer, which eventually lead to LC's 6-5 win. She drove in four runs for the game and scored once. In game two, she had a double and another homerun, driving in a pair with another run scored. St. John is hitting .352 with five homers and 26 RBI, the latter two numbers ranking in the top-10 in the ODAC.
  • Kristina Karagiorgis, Virginia Wesleyan, Sr., Pitcher
    April 20, 2015
    Karagiorgis, a senior from Ashburn, Va., shutout Roanoke, 3-0, last week as she improved to 14-2 on the season with her 13th straight victory. She retired the first eight batters she faces on the way to a complete-game effort. She surrendered just two hits without a walk and fanned nine batters. She entered the game with the nation's fourth-lowest earned run average, which went down to 0.52 following her win over the Maroons. She leads the ODAC with 135 strikeouts in 94.0 innings of work.
  • Madison Gilman, Randolph-Macon, Jr., Catcher
    April 13, 2015
    Gilman, a junior from Glen Allen, Va., was a clutch performer in four one-run wins for Randolph-Macon, helping the Yellow Jackets to six victories overall last week. Gilman hit .400 (8-for-20) with three multi-hit games. She smacked four doubles and a pair of homers to go with seven runs batted in and four runs scored. She clubbed both homers in a 7-3 win over Eastern Mennonite, adding three RBI. She had two hits and drove in both runs in a 2-1 win at Guilford. In game two against the Quakers, She had a run-scoring double in a 4-3 triumph. Gilman was involved in both game-winners in a sweep of Emory & Henry. She scored the game's only run in a 1-0 victory in game one. She registered two hits in game two, including a game-deciding RBI double in the seventh towards a 4-3 win. Gilman has now doubled in four straight games. Gilman is seventh in the league in batting (.421) and OBP (.477), while she's third in slugging (.737). Her 32 RBI are fourth.
  • Nelda Bagley, Randolph-Macon, Fr., Pitcher
    April 13, 2015
    Bagley, a freshman from Kenbridge, Va., put together a huge week for the Yellow Jackets as she record five of Randolph-Macon's six wins on the week. Bagley went the distance for three of her victories, while she made three other relief appearances to account for the two remaining wins as the Yellow Jackets registered a trio of ODAC sweeps. In a game one win (7-3) over Eastern Mennonite, Bagley gave up three runs, two earned, on six hits with three strikeouts in a full seven frames. She three two frames in the second game, not figuring in the decision (W, 9-4). Bagley won both ends of a doubleheader sweep at Guilford. She threw seven full innings in game one, giving up one run on five hits with seven strikeouts in a 2-1 triumph. She worked 2.2 innings in game two, fanning four while giving up a run on two hits in a 4-3 victory. Bagley earned a 1-0 shutout of Emory & Henry in game one against the Wasps, scattering seven hits with two walks and 11 strikeouts. She worked two more scorelss innings in game two, surrendering three hits and a walk with three punchouts in a 4-3 win. Bagley is now 12-3 with a 1.71 ERA in 98.0 innings in the circle. Her 12 wins, 98 innings and 107 strikeouts all rank second in the ODAC.
  • Taylor Carter, Roanoke, Fr., Outfielder
    April 06, 2015
    Carter, a freshman from Roanoke, Va., helped the Maroons extend their winning streak to six straight as she batted .429 with four extra base-hits in doubleheader sweeps of Randolph and Randolph-Macon. Carter went 6-for-14 overall with two doubles, a triple and homer. She drove in three runs and scored four times while also stealing a base. She hit safely in all four contests, including two hits in game one against Randolph and game two versus R-MC. She homered and had three RBI against the WildCats in game one, while tripling and stealing a base with two runs scored in game two. She then notched a double in both games of the doubleheader against the Yellow Jackets. Carter is now hitting .362 and is second in the ODAC with three triples.
  • Kelly Higbie, Roanoke, Sr., Pitcher
    April 06, 2015
    Higbie, a senior from Midlothian, Va., went 3-0 last week in four outings as Roanoke swept series with Randolph and Randolph-Macon. She started with a five-inning no-hitter of Randolph, giving up two walks and striking out one. she came on to work the final two innings in game two against the WildCats, giving up one run on two hits with two punchouts. Higbie got the win in both ends of the doubleheader at R-MC as she went the distance in both outings. In game one, she gave up one run on three hits with a walk and six strikeouts. She againt gave up just three hits in game two, this time without a free pass. She fanned five batters. For the season, Higbie is 9-8 with a 2.05 earn run average in an ODAC-high 92.0 innings of work.
  • Cassetty Howerin, Virginia Wesleyan, Fr., Catcher/Infield
    March 30, 2015
    Howerin, a freshman from Dover, Del., helped the Marlins to a 6-0 week with three doubleheader sweeps of ODAC teams. Howerin hit a blistering .722 as she went 13-for-18 with three doubles and a triple. She drove in seven runs and scored 10 times while also drawing a pair of walks. She had at least two hits in all six games, adding a 3-for-4 effort in game one against Randolph-Macon. She had one RBI in all but one contest, driving in two each in wins over Randolph (9-3) and Shenandoah (11-1). She finished the week with a .722/.750/1.000 slash line. For the season, Howerin owns a team-best .467 batting average, which ranks seventh in the ODAC.
  • Brandy Bryant, Emory & Henry, Sr., Pitcher
    March 30, 2015
    Bryant, a senior from Salem, Va., went 2-0 with two saves in four appearances last week. She won 2-1 over Roanoke with seven complete innings of work, giving up one run on four hits with a walk and five strikeouts. Her other win came in a 1-0 shutout of Bridgewater. She gave up just two hits, walked two and struck out a pair in another seven inning effort. Her first save came after a scoreless 1.1 innings against Bluefield as she allowed one hit, walked one and struck out two. Her second save was a came in a split appearance in which she worked five total innings an 11-9 win over EMU. She started and worked the first 4.1 before returning to record the final two outs for the save. She gave up seven runs, five earned, on seven hits with two walks and four strikeouts. Bryant is now 5-0 with a 1.69 ERA. E&H is now 17-1 overall, the best start in program history.
  • Angelia Miller, Eastern Mennonite, Jr., First Base
    March 23, 2015
    Miller, a junior from Bridgewater, Va., hit safely in seven straight games as the Roayls went 5-3 last week. She went 13-for-26 overall, smacking a pair of doubles and two homeruns while scoring five runs and driving in 17 more. She was 4-for-4 in a 13-5 win over Juniata College, belting both homers and registering seven RBI. One of the homers was a grand slam. She had two RBI in a 3-1 win over Virginia Wesleyan and both ends of a doubleheader split with Christopher Newport University. Miller also walked twice on the week, helping her finish with a .500/.536/.808 slash line. Miller is batting .469 on the season, which ranks seventh in the ODAC. Her 19 RBI sit fourth.
  • Kristina Karagiorgis, Virginia Wesleyan, Sr., Pitcher
    March 23, 2015
    Karagiorgis, a senior from Ashburn, Va., improved to 6-2 on the season with three complete games victories last week, including a gem in a 3-0 win over Arcadia. In that contest, Karagiorgis treated the crowd to a perfect game, facing the minimum 21 batters in seven innings. She didn't allow a baserunner while striking out a season-high 13. Her two other victories came in conference play as VWC topped Eastern Mennonite, 4-0, and Lynchburg, 7-6. Against EMU, Karagiorgis scattered five hits with a walk and six punchouts in collecting her second shutout of the week. She got the win against LC, working all seven frames at Moon Field. She gave up six runs, only two earned, on eight hits with a walk and four strikeouts. For the season, Karagiorgis owns a 0.57 earned run average, ranking second in the league. She leads the ODAC with 66 strikeouts.
  • Caley Hodge, Emory & Henry, Fr., Third Base
    March 16, 2015
    Hodge, a freshman from Elizabethton, Tenn., smacked six extra basehits, including five that left the yard, to help the Wasps to a 5-0 start to their seasonat the Gene Cusic Classic. Hodge went 8-for-15 overall from the dish, collecting a double in addition to her five homers with nine runs scored and 14 runs driven in. She added two walks and two stolen bases, helping her to a .533/.588/1.600 slash line. Hodge homered in four straight games, including a two-dinger five-RBI effort in E&H's 13-2 capper agaisnt Elms. She had a double, homer and four RBI in a 12-4 triumph over Minnesota-Morris. Hodge currently leads the ODAC in homers and is fifth in RBI.
  • Mary Shipp, Virginia Wesleyan, Jr., Pitcher
    March 16, 2015
    Shipp, a junior from Virginia Beach, Va., picks up her second weekly honor after posting a 2-0 week to improve to 4-0 on the young season. Shipp started with a strong effort in the 11th-ranked Marlins 3-1 victory over over second-ranked Salisbury University. Shipp went six frames, giving up one run on four hits with one walk and four strikeouts. That marks the second win over ranked opponent in as many weeks for Shipp, adding the victory over the Sea Gulls to one of Christopher Newport last week. Shipp added her second victory in an 8-0 win over SUNY-Old Westbury. She gave up just one fourth-inning single and fanned three as she faced just 17 batters in five innings in the circle.
  • Taylor Galvin, Virginia Wesleyan, Jr., Catcher
    March 09, 2015
    Galvin, a junior from Virginia Beach, Va., hit safely in all four games last week as the Marlins went 3-1 in their season-opening contests. Galvin was 5-for-6 in a doubleheader sweep of N.C. Wesleyan, including 3-for-3 in game two with three RBI. She walked and scored a base in game one to go with two hits and a two runs scored. Galvin shook off a 1-for-4 showing in a 4-1 loss in game one to Christopher Newport with a 2-2 day in the nightcap. She scored twice, drove in a run and earned a pair of free passes to help VWC to an 8-2 triumph over the fifth-ranked Captains.
  • Mary Shipp, Virginia Wesleyan, Jr., Pitcher
    March 09, 2015
    Shipp, a junior from Virginia Beach, Va., won twice in her first two starts of the Marlins weather-delayed season. She helped the Marlins top N.C. Wesleyan, 7-0, by tossing six scoreless frames of one-hit ball. She walked one and fanned four to post her first win of the season. She quickly moved to 2-0 by going the distance in an 8-2 win over fifth-ranked Christopher Newport. She gave up two runs, one earned, on five hits in seven innings. She walked one and struck out six captains.
  • Caroline Barnette, Guilford, Jr., Second Base
    March 02, 2015
    Barnette, a junior from Matthews, N.C., helped the Quakers go 1-1 against Greensboro by hitting .750 and reaching base nine times. She went 6-for-8 in the doubleheader, collecting three hits in each contest. She was 3-for-3 in a game one loss (5-4), also walking once. She came back with a 3-for-5 effort with two runs scored, a double and a triple. Barnette leads the ODAC early on in hitting with a .500 average (14-for-28).
  • Casey Snead, Guilford, Jr., Pitcher
    March 02, 2015
    Snead, a junior from Ellerbe, N.C., led the Quakers to an 18-2 win over Greensboro in early season softball action this week. Snead went the distance in the shortened game, firing five innings and giving up two runs on six hits. She surrendered five free passes and struck out one. She also helped herself at the dish, going 3-for-4 with two runs scored, three RBI and a stolen base.
  • Taylor Boyd, Guilford, So., Shortstop
    February 23, 2015
    Boyd, a sophomore from Franklinton, N.C., helped the Quakers to a 2-2 week that included a sweep of William Peace. The GC shortstop went 8-for-14 from the dish, including a 6-for-8 effort in two against Averett. She scored four runs, smacked a pair of doubles and sprinted her way to a triple. She also drove in a run and walked once. For the week, she hit .571 with a .600 OBP and a .857 slugging percentage.
  • Hope Johnson, Lynchburg, Sr., Pitcher
    February 23, 2015
    Johnson, a senior from Evington, Va., got the win in Lynchburg's 7-0 triumph over Methodist over the weekend. She hurled five scoreless frames, giving up one hit while fanning three and not walking a batter. The win marks her first of the season. She's thrown 14 innings in the early going.
  • Rachel Howard, Guilford, Sr., First Base
    February 16, 2015
    Howard, a senior from Eflanad, N.C., collected four hits in the Quakers' season-opening split with Meredith College. She went 2-for-4 with a double and a pair of RBI in a 7-4 game one loss. She followed that by going 2-for-3 with a walk and two more RBI in a 5-0 Quakers' triumph.
  • Conner English, Lynchburg, Fr., Pitcher
    February 16, 2015
    English, a freshman Altavista, Va., appeared in three of LC's four games at Emory University to open her collegiate career. She twice faced Rhodes College, going in the distance the second time to earn her first collegiate win. She shut out the Lynx on three hits with a two walks and two strikeouts for a 1-0 win. She threw 3.2 innings of scoreless relief in her first collegiate appearance against Rhodes, giving up one hit with a walk and a punchout. She took the loss in a 7-3 set-back to 16th ranked Emory in between her two appearances against Rhodes.