Cougars Soar To No. 4 In NEISCA Poll

Worcester, Mass. - Riding their second winning streak of the season of five games or more, the 15-3 Clark University softball team has soared to No. 4 in the most recent release of the New England Intercollegiate Softball Coaches Association (NEISCA) Division III Poll.

The Cougars, who entered the initial poll at No. 6 last week, moved up two spots after a 4-0 week in which they outscored New England Womens and Mens Athletic Conference foes MIT and Smith a combined 45-3. In each of their final three games, they scored 13 runs.

Clark has been paced offensively by reigning NEWMAC and ECAC Player of the Week Mel Melkonian (Worcester, Mass.). Playing her first collegiate season, Melkonian has started all 18 games and leads the team in batting average (.441), slugging percentage (.678), on-base percentage (.534), runs scored (30), triples (2), total bases (40), stolen bases (5) and walks (12).

In addition to her production, senior Lauren Blake (Oakland, Maine) has continued her stellar collegiate career and is closing in on becoming just the third player in school history to join the elusive 200-hit club.

Clark, sitting in first place in the NEWMAC standings with a 5-1 league ledger, enters the heart of their schedule beginning Friday when it hosts defending NEWMAC Tournament champion Springfield and then visit Coast Guard on Saturday.