NEW JERSEY ATHLETIC CONFERENCE
SOFTBALL PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
WEEK ENDING 4/23/17
PLAYER OF THE WEEK
EMILY SABO • Kean University
Senior • Second Base • Rahway, NJ/Rahway
Sabo becomes the third different Kean player to earn NJAC Player of the Week after leading the
Cougars in a 5-1 week. She went 8-for-16 (.500) with five RBIs, five runs scored, two home runs,
a triple, and a double, along with a stolen base. She recorded a 1.063 slugging percentage. She
went a combined 4-for-6 with a home run, triple, and double in a twinbill sweep of Rutgers-Newark.
She added two hits and two walks in the nightcap of a sweep of Lebanon Valley. Sabo wrapped up
the week with a combined 2-for-5 with three RBIs and a home run in a split with TCNJ. The second
baseman also successfully handled all 44 chances (28 putouts, 16 assists) without an error. Sabo
currently leads all NJAC players in batting average (.505) and on-base percentage (.580), and is
tied for second in total hits (47).
PITCHER OF THE WEEK
ERIN FITZSIMMONS • Ramapo College
Sophomore • Pitcher • Sayreville, NJ/Sayreville
Fitzsimmons earns her second and Ramapo’s third straight NJAC Pitcher of the Week award after
recording two complete game shutouts in NJAC play last week. She tossed a total of 12 innings
without yielding a run, and allowed just four total hits in that span. She went the distance in a
five-inning 8-0 win over William Paterson on Tuesday before spinning a seven-inning one-hitter at
Stockton on Saturday. After surrendering the leadoff hit, she retired the next 21 outs against the
Ospreys. Fitzsimmons currently ranks fifth among all NJAC pitchers with a 1.39 ERA this season,
and is second in the league with a .190 opposing batting average.
ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
SARAH STIEHLER • Rutgers-Newark
Freshman • Shortstop • Bloomsbury, NJ/Phillipsburg
Stiehler picks up her first NJAC Rookie of the Week honor on the heels of her best week to date
as a Scarlet Raider. She extended her hitting streak to nine games after batting 10-for-19 (.526)
in the 4-2 week. She also blasted four doubles and a triple to record a .842 slugging percentage,
while driving in four runs and scoring three. She had multiple hits in four of the six games, with a
4-for-7 outing with a double and a triple in the sweep of NJCU. She also went 3-for-6 with three
RBIs in a sweep of Baruch, and posted three hits (two doubles) in a doubleheader setback to Kean.
Stiehler is batting .309 in her rookie season.
ROOKIE PITCHER OF THE WEEK
KIARA RUIZ • Montclair State University
Freshman • Pitcher • Wharton, NJ/Morris Hills
Ruiz earns her first NJAC Rookie Pitcher of the Week honor after picking up the first two wins of
her career. She entered the week having only pitched two innings (one save) this year, but threw
16.0 scoreless frames in three appearances. She worked two innings in a win over NJCU, and
then tossed complete game shutouts against Staten Island and Rutgers-Camden. She allowed
just four hits against CSI to break the Dolphins’ 19-game winning streak. Ruiz maintains a 0.00
ERA in now 18.0 innings pitched this season.