This post was written by Hatchet reporter Sean Hurd.
The softball team continued its winning ways Monday when two Colonials players swept the Atlantic-10 weekly awards.
Sophomore slugger and Colonial standout Victoria Valos was awarded the A-10 player of the week, while freshman ace Meghan Rico earned A-10 pitcher of week as well as A-10 rookie of the week nods.
Valos, who had a record-breaking weekend offensively for the Colonials, was also named A-10 player of the week by College Sports Madness. This past weekend, the Colonials shortstop went five-for-10 with two home runs, seven runs batted in, and six runs scored. Valos also carried a 1.100 slugging percentage with a .688 on-base percentage.
Valos’ game of the week came this past Saturday afternoon when the Colonials played their first game against the visiting Bonnies of St. Bonaventure. he went three-for-four with two home runs, three runs batted in, and three runs scored. Valos jumpstarted the Colonials offense on multiple occasions, giving the Colonials the lead after a leadoff home run in the fifth inning, and winning the game for the Colonials after a two-run walk off homerun by Valos in the bottom of the seventh cemented a 7-5 GW victory.
With the seven runs batted in over the weekend, Valos made GW history, breaking the single-season RBI record of 33, a record Valos tied at the end of last season. Valos now holds the record, which stands at 38 runs batted in with 13 regular season games left to play.
Valos currently ranks second in the A-10 in home runs with 10, third in slugging with a percentage of.738, fourth in runs with 30, and fifth in runs batted in with 38. She is batting a team-best .359 and leads GW with 10 home runs, 38 RBIs and 30 runs scored
The award is Valos’ first career Player of the Week nod. She was named A-10 Rookie of the Week April 9, 2012. Valos is the first Colonial to be named Player of the Week since senior centerfielder Autumn Taylor earned the award April 30, 2012.
While Valos led the Colonials on the offensive end, freshman pitcher Meghan Rico led the Colonials defensively earning her her first ever A-10 pitcher and A-10 rookie of the week awards. Rico is the first-ever Colonial to be named both Pitcher and Rookie of the Week in the same week.
Rico is the second Colonial to earn Rookie of the Week this season, joining freshman first baseman Carlee Gray who earned the honor March 19. Rico is also the first Colonials pitcher to be named pitcher of the week since Heidi Penna did it last season, earning the award April 23, 2012.
Simply put, Rico was virtually unstoppable in the circle for the Colonials last week. In three appearances, including two starts, she went 3-0 with a 0.54 ERA, striking out 18 and allowing just one run on five hits in 13.0 innings, holding opponents to a .116 batting average.
As a starter, Rico netted victories against Mount St. Mary’s and St. Bonaventure, while tacking on a relief win in the first game of the St. Bonaventure double header.
Rico’s first victory verses Mount St. Mary’s was dominant. She gave up only one run on three hits and struck out eight.
The native of Wrentham, Mass., continued her success in the first game of the St. Bonaventure doubleheader, where she earned a victory for her solid seventh inning of relief.
The freshman phenom then closed out a near perfect weekend by tossing a two-hit shutout and striking out nine St. Bonaventure hitters in the backend of the day’s double-header. The shutout recorded by Rico was her fourth clean sheet of the season.
Rico is 11-7 on the season with a 2.88 ERA and 104 strikeouts. She ranks second in the A-10 in opponent batting average (.178), third in wins and fifth in strikeouts.
Valos, Rico and the Colonials return to action on Friday where they will put their record seven game win streak on the line when GW visits Atlantic 10 rival Rhode Island.
