Cassinelli slugs her way to GNAC honor

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT Evan O’Kelly Director of Communications O: (406) 657-2130 E: evan.okelly@msubillings.edu Monday, March 20, 2017 Cassinelli slugs her way to GNAC honor

Junior Cameron Cassinelli earns GNAC Player of the Week honors after homering three times and reaching base in 10 of 16 plate appearances in MSUB’s 3-1 series win over Western Oregon in softball.

PORTLAND, Ore. – Leading the Montana State University Billings softball team to a 3-1 series win over Great Northwest Athletic Conference opponent Western Oregon University over the weekend, junior first baseman Cameron Cassinelli has been named the GNAC Player of the Week announced the conference office Monday.

Cassinelli reached base in 10 of 16 plate appearances, going 4-for-9 with three home runs and 10 RBIs in the series. The slugger’s big weekend helped the Yellowjackets (12-17, 8-8 GNAC) pick up their second conference series win of the year in their 2017 home opener.

“This is definitely well deserved, and Cam has been working hard offensively,” said MSUB head coach Jessica Rayman.

“She has been consistent for us, especially when stepping into clutch situations. All year Cam has come up huge for us, and we saw that against Western Oregon this weekend in big situations with runners on.”

After homering twice on Saturday, Cassinelli was walked four times in Sunday’s doubleheader but still managed her GNAC-leading 10th home run of the season. She also scored four runs, doubled, and made 30 plays at first base defensively.

As of Monday, Cassinelli leads the GNAC in homers (10), doubles (9), and RBIs (37), and is second in total bases (70) behind teammate Heather Tracy.

From a historical standpoint, Cassinelli is well on her way to the top of several program top-10 lists, as she is currently fourth at MSUB with 27 career home runs and in RBIs with 107. With another year of eligibility and the rest of the 2017 season, she is well within striking distance of the MSUB record for home runs (Kelly Parsons, 35) and RBIs (Emily Osborn, 136).

MSUB Career Home Runs Leaders Rank First Name HR 1 Kelly Parsons 35 2 Emily Osborn 30 3 Meg Harasymczuk 29 4 Kelsey Devlin 27 Cameron Cassinelli 27 6 Steph Gosselin 25 7 Kaycee Hoffman 23 Theresa Campbell 23 9 Christy Wankel 21 10 Terina Stacks 19

Seasons 2008-11 2012-15 2011-12 2014-17 2015-17 2006-09 2010-11 2002-05 2003-06 2006-09

MSUB Career Runs Batted In Leaders Rank First Name RBIs Seasons 1 Emily Osborn 136 2012-15 2 Kelly Parsons 130 2008-11 3 Steph Gosselin 111 2006-09 4 Cameron Cassinelli 107 2015-17 5 Aubrey Conceicao 103 2012-15 Terina Stacks 103 2006-09 7 Kelsey Devlin 97 2014-17 8 Taylor Hoke 94 2012-15 9 Christy Wankel 91 2003-06 10 Brittney Sanders 89 2012-15 11 Meg Harasymczuk 87 2011-12 Theresa Campbell 87 2002-05 A second-team all-GNAC pick last year and the 2015 GNAC Championships MVP as a freshman, this is the first-ever GNAC weekly honor for Cassinelli. It is the second of the season for the MSUB softball team, after Tracy was named Player of the Week for Feb. 27-March 5.

With a two-week break from conference play, the ‘Jackets will take on Minot State University in a doubleheader Sunday in Minot, N.D. MSUB will next be at home in a four-game series against Central Washington University on April 14-15 at Avitus Group Stadium.

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