NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – University of Dayton softball players Kathryn Hess and Manda Cash were named the Atlantic 10 Player and Pitcher of the week, respectively, for their performances over the first weekend of play for the Flyers as announced by the league office Monday, Feb. 22. The award is for games played from Feb. 15-21. 

Hess, an East Hampton, N.Y. native, kicked off her senior season in style, going 6-for-14 (.429) at the plate in the first five games, hitting three home runs, driving in five runs and scoring four more along the way. Kathryn smacked two home runs in the Flyers' win over IPFW, and added her third of the season on a two-run bomb against Detroit.

Cash, the reigning Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Year, started off the season with a complete game, 10 strikeout performance against an unbeaten Chattanooga squad, while only allowing one unearned run. She finished the weekend with 14 and two-thirds innings pitched, surrendering just one earned run over that span. The Columbus, Ohio native held batters to just a .135 average while striking out 16 total batters.

Dayton returns to action on Thursday, Feb. 25 when they travel to Knoxville, Tenn. to take on the University of Tennessee. They'll then travel to Alabama to participate in the Trojan Warrior Tournament, hosted by Troy University, Feb. 26-28.