SOFTBALL TRIFECTA COMPILES MUSTANG-OF-THE-WEEK

The Mount Ida College women's softball team returned from Coco Beach, Florida with eight games under their belts during a four day period going 1-7 overall.  They took a 3-1 victory over New England Collegiate Conference (NECC) member Daniel Webster College their last game of the trip for their only win of the tournament.  Although the Mustangs could only muster one victory during their time down in the sunshine state, all but one of the games were separated by a couple of runs in very close contests.

Solid individual performances throughout the week, especially by senior captain Kerri Kwasek (Framingham, MA/Framingham), sophomore outfielder Becky Tisbert (Cambridge, VT/Lamoille Union), and freshman catcher Erica Belliveau (Tewksbury, MA/Tewksbury), gave the Mustangs an optimistic look at the upcoming season in the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) for 2009. 

Kwasek has been solid for her entire career at Mount Ida and enjoyed another outstanding overall week on the mound and at the plate.  Kwasek notched the Mustangs only win for the week going seven strong innings striking out seven and only surrendering six hits in a 3-1 victory.  In eight games for the week, Kwasek went 7-22 with two doubles, two RBI's, and five walks good for a .318 batting average. 

Tisbert, who was a very important element to the team last year, picked up right where she left off.  Batting at a team high .400, Tisbert went 12-30 with a double and 11 singles.  Along with two runs scored, Becky was also a machine on the bases paths with five stolen bases while only being caught once with an on base percentage of .400 as well. 

Newcomer Belliveau is Mount Ida's newest backstop after the loss of Kris Duplisea last season.  Not only has she been an asset in the catching role already, Belliveau has contributed with a big bat as well.  She went 9-23 with four doubles, two runs batted in, three walks, and a triple in eight games.  She holds the second highest batting average on the team, behind Tisbert, at .391.

The Mustangs will kick off their Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) schedule this coming Sunday at St. Joseph's College (CT) in New Haven, Connecticut for a double dip starting at 12:00 p.m.