Player of the Week: Natasha Viafora, Softball

The Royals Softball team has won six of its last eight games due largely in part to the stellar performance of sophomore Natasha Viafora.

In the six previous games before yesterday's sweep of Sweet Briar College, Viafora allowed only 16 hits and struck out 16 batters while boasting a .435 batting average with two doubles, five runs scored, and six RBI's, making her worthy of much praise and this issues Player of the Week honors.

The Stanley, Virginia native has tossed three of the four victories during the Royals current run and looks poised to add to her latest outing where she posted a 1.67 earned run average in a shut out against Guilford. She allowed only four hits over seven innings while striking out eight batters. She was also instrumental on the mound during last weeks sweep over Shenandoah when earning a 9-5 victory in the first game while going 3-for-4 at the plate with two runs and two RBIs. In game two, Viafora continued her exceptional play going a perfect 5-for-5 at the plate leading the Royals and showcasing her offensive game.

When asked about her softball success Viafora said, "Softball is my chance to escape. When I'm on the mound, I'm able to step back and get away from it all. I focus on one batter at a time and utilize my rise ball and change up. I loved playing at age eight when I first started and I love playing now."

The Royals are currently 12-12 (2-4 ODAC) with 16 games remaining before the conference tournament. Viafora said, "One of the goals we set as a team was to win the ODAC Tournament, and we feel that if we play our game then we have a great shot at winning." With a jam-packed April schedule, the Royals will depend largely on the play of super sophomore Natasha Viafora to continue their latest success.