Conference

Laura Messina, Central Connecticut
Marlton, NJ / Camden Catholic
P
Freshman

The freshman started all four conference games for the Blue Devils, earning four victories with a 0.72 ERA. She went the distance in three of the four games and allowed just two earned runs over 25.0 innings. On the week she allowed just 11 hits and five walks, while striking out 19 batters. Messina’s four victories set a new CCSU single-season record for wins with 19. The previous record of 14 was set in 1990. In her first start Messina blanked Sacred Heart for seven innings for her sixth shutout of the season as she helped the Blue Devils to a 2-0 win. In game two she carried a no-hitter for 6.2 innings and allowed just a single hit in the game, struck out seven and walked only two batters as Central earned the sweep over the defending champion Pioneers. Against Wagner, she pitched her second shutout in an 8-0 game one victory. In that game she allowed just two hits and a walk, while striking out six. In game two, Messina again went the distance pitching seven innings, allowing five hits, one run, two walks and striking out six as the Blue Devils earned a 2-1 victory and the sweep over the Seahawks.  

Emily Kakuska, LIU Brooklyn
Fontana, Calif. / A.B. Miller
C/DP
Junior
5-5

View Full Bio

The junior hit an solid .778 including three doubles, a home run and three RBIs in helping the Blackbirds to a perfect 3-0 mark on the week. Kakuska started her offensively outstanding week off with a 2-for-3 performance in a 13-3 win over Big East foe St. John’s on Thursday. The first-baseman roped a pair of doubles against the Red Storm, scored a run and drove home another. Three days later, Kakuska went 5-for-6 over two contests and led LIU to a critical doubleheader sweep of Sacred Heart. She went 2-for-3 with an RBI in game one, then went a perfect 3-for-3 with a single, double and solo home run in the second contest, helping the Blackbirds a 5-1 win and 6-1 victory over the defending NEC-Champion Pioneers.