WINTHROP, Mass. – Simmons University's Lauren Del Vacchio (Murrieta, Calif.) was named the Great Northeast Athletic Conference Softball Player of the Week for the week of March 11-17, it was announced today by the league.
A Shark earns the weekly top player accolade for the second straight week after Christie Bott (Seaford, N.Y.) was tabbed for the week of March 4-10. Del Vacchio is tabbed for the second time in her career after being recognized for the week of April 3-9, 2018.
Del Vacchio batted a robust .538 (7-13) in four games for the week, while boasting a .600 on-base percentage and a .692 slugging mark as part of a 1.292 OPS. The center fielder smacked a pair of doubles and knocked in four runs from the leadoff spot to go with five runs scored and two walks. The outfielder handled all 13 chances without a miscue and was credited with an outfield assist as well. The junior showed great plate discipline, striking out just once in 15 plate appearances. Del Vacchio hit safely in all four games for Simmons, including three multi-hit outings. She began the week by going 4-6 with a double, two walks, two runs batted in and three runs scored in a doubleheader date at Emerson College on March 15. The Vista Murrieta High School graduate capped the week by collecting three more hits in seven at-bats to go with another double, two RBI and a pair of runs scored vs. number 23 nationally-ranked Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute on March 16.
In 2019, Del Vacchio is among the best players in the GNAC, leading the league in hits (17), run scored (13), walks (six) and total bases (22) and stands fourth with eight runs batted in and one home run, while placing sixth in batting average (.415/17-41), fifth in on-base percentage (.500) and 12th in slugging average (.537) in 14 games of action. The three-year standout currently owns an eight-game hitting streak, while maintaining a .520 (13-25) batting mark during the string in addition to a pair of doubles, a home run, six RBI and 10 runs scored. She also leads the team with six multi-hit efforts.
Del Vacchio has been a GNAC All-Conference selection in each of her two seasons with the Sharks, being named a Third Teamer as a rookie and earned First Team honors a year ago. For her career, the five-foot, two-inch Web Design and Development major has primarily played second base, before making the switch to the outfield in 2019. She owns a career batting mark of .393 (108-275) to go with a lifetime on-base percentage of .483 and a slugging percentage of .578. She has scored 77 runs, while driving in 44 to go with 24 doubles, three triples, seven homers, 15 stolen bases and 42 walks in 94 games.
Simmons is currently 3-11 on the season and will be in action again on Wednesday, March 20 when it hosts nationally-ranked #5 Massachusetts Institute of Technology for a 5:00 p.m. doubleheader at Daly Field.