UND Sweeps Summit League Softball Weekly Awards

Nikki Pica and Jailene Carpio are the players of the week

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (UND Athletics) – Following a strong weekend of softball against one of the conference’s top foes, a pair of North Dakota softball players have been honored by The Summit League on Monday. Sophomore Jailene Carpio took home Summit League Player of the Week while junior Nikki Pica was named Summit League Pitcher of the Week after helping the Fighting Hawks capture a series win over South Dakota State.

UND (21-31, 6-9 Summit League) picked a great weekend to snap a pair of streaks, halting its own seven-game losing streak and snapping a stretch of seven straight wins by the Jackrabbits. The pair of victories over SDSU cemented the third straight season of 20-or-more wins, clinched a spot in the Summit League Tournament, and earned Head Coach Jordan Stevens his 100th win at UND.

Carpio was huge at the plate all weekend for the Fighting Hawks, recording seven hits in nine at-bats for a .778 average during the series. The sophomore also drew a pair of walks and cranked out a pair of extra base hits to record a .818 on-base percentage and a slugging clip of 1.222. Coming around to score a trio of times, all three came in crucial moments of the series as Carpio opened the second game with a lead-off home run in the bottom of the first to give the Fighting Hawks a 1-0 lead in an eventual 2-1 triumph before tying the finale at one, driving in the go-ahead run, and coming around to score an insurance run in a 7-1 victory.

Tasked with taking the circle following a tough loss in the series opener, Pica came through clutch for the Fighting Hawks with a strong pitching performance. The junior hurled a complete game, allowing just four hits, one run, and two walks while striking out five to earn her sixth win of the season. She did not allow a runner to reach scoring position until the sixth inning while also limited the Jackrabbits to just multiple baserunners in just the seventh inning. Pica joins teammate Emily Rosas in earning pitcher of the week honors from the league.

North Dakota closes out the regular season next weekend in Fargo against in-state rival NDSU for a three-game series beginning on Saturday.