April 2, 2007
PROVIDENCE, R.I.- Senior Stephanie Brown (Chandler, Ariz./Corona del Sol) was named the BIG EAST Player of the Week by the conference office for the first time in her career on Monday, April 2. The Irish centerfielder had an amazing week at the plate with a .722 batting average (13-for-18), two doubles, a triple, four runs batted in and five runs scored. The senior had four multi-hit games on the week including two three-hit performances and a four hit game. The leadoff batter sparked the Irish to wins over Toledo (March 29) and doubleheader sweeps of both Pittsburgh (March 31) and Syracuse (April 1). The Irish offense due in part to their leadoff batter, led the charge with a team batting average of .427 and 29 runs scored over the five games.
Brown was not the only Irish player to earn BIG EAST honors as teammate Brittney Bargar (Corona, Calif./Corona) was named to the league’s Honor Roll after going 3-0 with two complete games, a shutout and 21 strikeouts in 20 innings from the circle in wins over Toledo (4-1), Pittsburgh (4-0) and Syracuse (7-0).
Brown started her week going 1-for-3 with a stolen base in the dramatic 4-1 win over Toledo. In the doubleheader sweep of Pittsburgh, she was 5-for-7 with two runs scored, two RBI, two stolen bases and a double. Among her performances against Pittsburgh was her first three-hit game of the week. In the Notre Dame sweep over fellow conference rival Syracuse; Brown was an amazing 7-for-8 with three runs scored, two RBI, a double and a triple. In fact, the only out she made an out against the Orange was a bullet hit directly at the centerfielder. In the two games against Syracuse, she had a three-hit game in the first game (second of the week and sixth of the season) and a four-hit game (first of the season) in the second game. For the week the senior also had 17 total bases, a slugging percentage of .944, three stolen bases, On the season, Brown is hitting .477 with 41 hits, 24 runs scored, three doubles, two triples, eight RBI, a slugging percentage of .558, 10 stolen bases and an on-base percentage of .531.
A now three-time BIG EAST Honor Roll member, Bargar continued her outstanding work from the circle going 3-0 with a 0.35 ERA. She only allowed one run all week and limited her three opponents to a batting average of .094. She threw a three-hit complete game with seven strikeouts against Toledo. She also hit the game-winning walk-off home run in the bottom of the seventh inning to propel the Irish to a 4-1 victory. She followed that effort by going the distance against Pittsburgh with two hits allowed and eight strikeouts for her second shutout of the season. Bargar completed her week going the first six innings against Syracuse in a combined shutout with only a leadoff single given up and six strikeouts. In conference games on the week, Bargar was 2-0 with 14 strikeouts in 13 innings and has still not given up a run to a conference opponent this season.
Tracie Adix of DePaul was named the league’s Pitcher of the Week for the second time this year. Other Honor Roll honorees include Bree Spence (South Florida), Rachel Bartholomew (Providence), Roxann Struble (St. John’s) and Kealn Waldron (Seton Hall)
Notre Dame returns to the field this week hosting Valparaiso at 5 p.m. on April 4. The Irish then head to Chicago for a midweek conference doubleheader against fellow front-runner in the BIG EAST, DePaul on Thursday, April 5 at 4 p.m. (ET).