North Carolina Central University

SOFTBALL

     HAMPTON, VA - North Carolina Central University claimed four of the five weekly conference softball honors, the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association announced Tuesday (April 13). 
     Freshman shortstop Asha Sutton (LaGrange, NC/North Lenoir H.S.) was recognized as the CIAA Player of the Week, rookie pitcher Clarisse Steans (Macon, GA/Southwest Magnet) was named CIAA Pitcher of the Week, freshman catcher Latisha Judd (Raleigh, NC/Enloe H.S.) was voted CIAA Defensive Player of the Week, and third-year head coach Larry Keen was selected as the CIAA Coach of the Week.
     In six games last week, Sutton batted .643 (9-for-14) with a double, a home run, 10 runs scored and eight runs batted in. In her best outing, she hit 3-for-3 with three RBI against Bowie State University on April 9. Sutton currently tops the Lady Eagles with a .424 batting average (42-for-99).
     Steans finished the week with an unblemished 5-0 record on the mound, while striking out 35 batters, allowing only seven earned runs and holding opponents to a .146 batting average. She tossed her first collegiate no-hitter on April 9 versus Bowie State, fanning eight of the 19 batters she faced in that contest. Steans has 127 strikeouts with an overall record of 13-18 and an ERA of 5.49.
     Judd recorded 41 putouts and six assists in six games as the starting catcher last week. She also contributed five hits, three RBI and six stolen bases for the Lady Eagle offense.
     Keen guided the Lady Eagles to a 6-0 record last week, which is the longest win streak at NCCU since 1997. The Lady Eagles have won 13 of their last 16 games heading into the CIAA Championships at the Hornet's Nest in Charlotte, NC, starting Thursday (April 15) at 12 noon.