Feb. 16, 2009

Philadelphia, Pa. - Fordham University sophomore shortstop Samantha Pellechio (Lebanon, N.J./North Hunterdon) was named Atlantic 10 Softball Player of the Week, it was announced today by the conference in its first set of weekly softball awards. This is Pellechio's first career weekly honor.

A 2008 Atlantic 10 All-Rookie team selection, Pellechio started the 2009 season with a bang, opening the season with a five-game hitting streak for the Rams at the Cathedral City Kickoff, February 6th-8th. She hit .467 (7-15) with two doubles, two home runs and seven RBI over that span, and finished the weekend with a .556 on base percentage and a 1.000 slugging percentage

Pellechio opened the season by hitting the game-tying home run in the bottom of the seventh against Cal St Northridge on February 6th, a game Fordham would win later that inning. Later that same night, she was 2-for-2 with a home run and four RBI in Fordham's upset win over then-#12/14 Fresno State, the school's first ever win in its 25-year history over a ranked opponent. She also went 2-for-4 with an RBI-double in an 11-7 loss to then-#14/17 Cal on Feb. 8.

Pellechio and the rest of the Rams will be back in action this weekend, February 21-22, as they participate in the FAIU Strike Out Cancer Tournament in Boca Raton, Florida. The Rams will meet Providence and Florida Atlantic on Saturday, and then play Arkansas and FIU on Sunday.