Rylee Pate wins first weekly CAA Honors for UNCW Softball

WILMINGTON, North Carolina (UNCWSports.com) – Sophomore pitcher Rylee Pate of UNCW has earned Colonial Athletic Association Softball Pitcher-of-the-Week honors for the first time in her young career.

The Mount Olive, N.C., hurler picked up two victories over the weekend as the Seahawks swept CAA rival Drexel in a key series at the Vidas Athletic Complex in Philadelphia. UNCW pushed its record to 15-22 overall and 5-7 in the league with the big sweep.

“Rylee’s performance this weekend was a combination of mental toughness and resiliency,” said Kristy Norton, UNCW’s head coach. “In adverse weather conditions on Sunday, she did all she could to give our hitters a chance to come around. We are proud of her efforts this weekend.”

Pate was outstanding as the starting pitcher in the second game of Saturday’s doubleheader, giving up one run on two hits over 5.0 innings, while striking out five batters as the Seahawks won, 7-6.

In Sunday’s 8-7 victory over the Dragons, Pate came on in relief and earned the win in the circle after not allowing a hit or an earned run over the final 3.1 innings with three strikeouts.

Pate finished the week surrendering just two hits and one earned run over 8.1 innings, fanning eight batters.

In her second season with the Seahawks, Pate has fashioned a 6-7 record and 3.21 earned run average. She leads the team in victories (6) and innings pitched (67.2) and has limited opponents to a staff-low .253 batting average.