FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Mark Albanese, Assistant Sports Information Director, 630-637-5302

Official CCIW Release

Mar. 30, 2011-- North Central College's Laura Whitfield and Brianna Nelson were honored as the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin Softball Players of the Week on Tuesday after helping the Cardinals close out their Arizona spring break trip on a five-game winning streak.

Laura Whitfield earns Hitter of the Week honors after finishing the week hitting a red-hot .765, helping the Cardinals (8-2) finish the week undefeated. Whitfield was two-for-four with two RBIs in the team's 8-7 extra innings victory over 2008 national champion University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire on Mar. 22. The game saw Whitfield belt her 14th career home run, establishing a new school career record.

Whitfield followed her record-breaking performance with a three-for-four effort against Carleton College (Minn.), driving in four RBIs. A day later, Whitfield was five-for-five with five RBIs against Saint Catherine University (Minn.), finishing a triple shy of hitting for the cycle. She closed out the Arizona trip with a three-for-four effort against Saint Olaf College (Minn.), driving in five runs.

For the week, the shortstop was 13-for-17 with 16 RBIs and six extra base hits. Whitfield drew two walks and scored three runs while stealing one base. Whitfield finished with a .789 on-base percentage while maintaining a slugging percentage of 1.471.

The senior currently leads the team with a .588 batting average and leads the team in RBIs (19), doubles (6), home runs (3), extra-base hits (9), total bases (35), hits (20) and slugging percentage (1.029).

Brianna Nelson earns CCIW Pitcher of the Week accolades after finishing the week with three wins in the circle for the Cardinals. Nelson pitched all five innings in the team's 12-4 mercy rule victory over Carleton on Mar. 22 before making a pair of relief appearances later in the week.

The senior right hander tossed the final 2 1/3 innings of the team's 13-8 extra innings victory over Saint Catherine, retiring all seven batters she faced while closing out the final 3 2/3 innings in the late game that day in a 13-7 win over Saint Olaf. Nelson finished the week with a team-best 3.18 earned run average, striking out one and allowing just five earned runs in 11 innings of work.

On the season, Nelson has a team-best 2.80 ERA with a 5-0 record having made six appearances in the circle. The senior has fanned nine batters in 25 innings of work and all three of her starts have been complete game efforts.

The Cardinals have claimed three CCIW Player of the Week honors during the 2011 season as Vlasta Mangia was named Hitter of the Week on March 22.

North Central returns to the diamond on Thursday, March 31, taking on Beloit College in a non-conference doubleheader. First pitch at Beloit's Strong Complex is slated for 3 p.m.