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FREDERICKSBURG, Va. -- Christopher Newport senior Rachael Payne and sophomore Aubrey Bates swept the CAC Softball Player of the Week awards for April 23, 2018.  

Player of the Week

Rachael Payne | Christopher Newport | Sr. | SS

Stafford, Va. | Brooke Point 

Christopher Newport senior Rachael Payne was named the CAC Player of the Week after going 15-for-20 (.750) at the plate with seven RBIs and 12 runs scored in a 6-0 week for the Captains, who locked up the top seed in the CAC Tournament. Batting from the No. 2 spot in the order, Payne managed at least one hit and one run scored in all six contests, totaling three doubles, a triple and three stolen bases with an on-base percentage of .783 and slugging percentage of 1.000. She began the week by going 5-for-6 with two doubles, two RBIs and three runs scored in a sweep of Mary Washington. She followed that up with a 3-for-5 performance against Southern Virginia with a triple, two RBIs and three runs scored. Payne then wrapped up the week with a 7-for-9 outing with three runs scored and three RBIs vs. Frostburg State. 

Pitcher of the Week

Aubrey Bates | Christopher Newport | So. | P

Lorton, Va. | South County

Christopher Newport sophomore Aubrey Bates was named the CAC Pitcher of the Week for the third straight week and fourth time this year after going 3-0 and striking out 13 in 14 innings pitched. Bates allowed four runs, all unearned, posting a perfect 0.00 ERA last week. She surrendered just nine hits in victories over Mary Washington, Southern Virginia and Frostburg State. She is now 14-1 this season for the Captains, and is 26-4 in her career at CNU.

WEEKLY HONOR ROLL (4/23)

FROSTBURG STATE: Aliyah Ramey, Fr., INF, Leesburg, Va./Loudoun County

MARY WASHINGTON: Hannah Bruns, So., OF, Chesapeake, Va./Indian River

PENN STATE HARRISBURG: Erelle Sowers, Sr., Util, Harleysville, Pa./Souderton Area

SALISBURY: Shannon Powell, Jr., P, Rockville, Md./Richard Montgomery 

SOUTHERN VIRGINIA: Tara Hilton, Jr., OF, Henderson, Nev./Green Valley

WESLEY: Abbey Mayse, Fr., P, Cecilton, Md./St. Mark's

YORK: Julie Van O'Linda, So., SS, Wantagh, N.Y./Wantagh

NOTES AROUND THE CONFERENCE

Christopher Newport earned the No. 1 seed in the upcoming CAC Tournament and will host one of the two three-team pods on the opening weekend of the postseason ... The CAC Tournament will feature a new format in 2018, with the top two seeds hosting a three-team double-elimination pod. The winner of those opening weekend (Apr. 28-29) pods will meet in a best-of-three championship series May 4-5 at the highest remaining seed ... Salisbury claimed the No. 2 seed in the CAC Tournament and will host the other three-team pod on the opening weekend of the postseason ... York will be the No. 3 seed in the CAC Tournament, with seeds four through six still to-be-determined based on the Frostburg State/Penn State Harrisburg twinbill on Monday ... In the April 18 National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Top-25 Poll, Christopher Newport is ranked No. 11 ... Frostburg State first-year Aliyah Ramey knocked a grand slam out of the park against Christopher Newport, and hit .500 on the week with six RBIs ... Sophomore Hannah Bruns batted .500 for the week for Mary Washington, posting 10 hits in 20 at bats. She had six hits in seven at bats in a doubleheader sweep of Southern Virginia, and added three hits in a 3-2 loss to Frostburg. She scored five runs on the week... Junior Kara Deppe closed the regular season by posting a 1.59 ERA in 22 innings, striking out 25 batters. She allowed four earned runs against CNU with seven strikeouts, then allowed one earned run with 12 K's in a 3-2 loss to Frostburg State. She closed the week with six strikeouts in five innings in a 10-0 Eagle win ... Penn State Harrisburg senior Erelle Sowers picked up four hits for the Lions including two doubles and a triple, helping the Lions qualify for the CAC Tournament for the first time in school history ... Salisbury junior Shannon Powell went 3-0 in three appearances against CAC opponents this past weekend, helping Salisbury seal the No. 2 seed in the upcoming CAC tournament. Powell earned the win in both games of a doubleheader sweep of York, getting a complete-game win in game one, and working in relief in game two for the win. She also went the distance in a 9-1 win against Penn St.-Harrisburg on Saturday. In 12 2/3 innings this week, she struck out eight and gave up just 14 hits. Sophomore Dakotah Fraley was kept off the bases in just four of her 13 plate appearances this week, batting .636 with an on-base percentage of .692. She was 7-for-11 at the plate with two doubles, a home run, two walks, scoring seven runs and driving in seven ... Southern Virginia junior Tara Hilton led the Knights last week with five hits, including a double against CNU which allowed her to score the Knights' only run of the day. 

2018 CAC PLAYERS OF THE WEEK