Staten Island, NY – The Wagner College softball team embarks on its second road trip of the season, as the Seahawks will play in the Green and White Invitational, hosted by UNC Charlotte, Friday through Sunday.
Wagner will take on the host 49ers, Valparaiso, and the College of Charleston while playing five games in three days.
The Seahawks enter the weekend with a 1-3 record that includes a
thrilling 1-0 upset over Big 10 member Purdue in the Green and White's season-opener.
Offensively, Wagner is led by junior
Kaila Smith, who earned Northeast Conference (NEC) Player of the Week honors following the opening weekend of competition. Smith finished the week with six RBIs in four games, none bigger than her sac fly RBI in the first inning against Purdue which proved to be the difference for the Seahawks. The junior also connected on Wagner's first home run of the season, a three-run game-tying shot to left center in the Green and White's loss to East Carolina on Sunday. Overall, Smith is second on the team with a .429 average and finished the week with a healthy .714 slugging percentage.
Senior
Karen Prihoda leads the team with a .436 batting average through four games and has recorded a hit in every contest this season. The Seahawks' leadoff hitter also leads the squad with six runs scored and is 2-of-2 in stolen bases this season. For her career, Prihoda continues to re-write the Seahawks' record books. Sitting at 177 career hits, the senior is now fourth all-time behind Katie Stevens (238)
Andrea Lazzari (238), and Marie Bianca (189), while also ranking fourth all-time in runs scored with 110.
Defensively, junior
Amelia Van Orman earned NEC Pitcher of the Week honors in Week 1 and will look to continue to lead a young group of pitchers. In the Seahawks' season-opening 1-0 win, Van Orman turned in a complete game shutout against the Boilermakers, who compete in the Big 10 conference, allowing just four hits and one walk while earning the victory.
UNC Charlotte enters the weekend with a 5-7 overall record, while Valpo sits at 2-7 and Charleston comes in at 7-7.
Following this weekend's action, the Seahawks will travel out west for the Colorado State Classic, starting on March 8.
