Four Britons earned Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association Player of the Week honors, all of whom are first-year student-athletes: Devin Murray (Baseball), Lilly Patillo (Softball), Ashley Pion (Softball), and Matthew Czarnecki (Men's Tennis).
Murray, the MIAA Baseball Pitcher of the Week, entered the game against Saint Mary's University of Minnesota in the top of the sixth in a tie game. The Rochester native finished the final two outs of the inning and went on to pitch a scoreless seventh. In his first career start four days later, he pitched six innings, allowing just one run and scattering eight hits. The freshman has registered a 2-0 record, a 1.17 ERA in 7.2 innings pitched thus far. Additionally, Murray has given up just eight hits and has recorded nine strikeouts while not allowing a base on balls.
After wrapping up a doubleheader against Anderson University (Ind.), the Purple and Gold (5-2, 0-0 MIAA) will travel to Ohio to take on Bluffton University on Saturday, Mar. 14. Game times are scheduled for 1 p.m. and 4 p.m., respectively.
Freshman Lilly Patillo, a third base player for the softball team, was honored as the MIAA Softball Position Player of the Week for her efforts in Florida. The Colorado product went 17-for-32 (.531) from the plate registering two home runs and five doubles for an overall slugging percentage of .875. Patillo has also scored 14 runs, batted in 15 runners, and has been walked four times to help the Britons achieve their best start in program history.
First-year student-athlete Ashley Pion was the MIAA Softball Pitcher of the Week, striking out 60 batters, walking five, and giving up just 28 hits. The Edwardsburg native notched a season-high 12 K's against Grove City College on Mar. 6. Pion's ERA of .425 is the lowest ERA an Albion pitcher has had in the past four seasons.
For softball (9-3, 0-0 MIAA), they take a two-week break after having played 12 games in just seven games. Softball action returns on Saturday, Mar. 21 for a doubleheader hosted by Defiance College. Game times against the Lady Jackets will start at 1 p.m. and 3:15 p.m., respectively.
Finally, freshman Matthew Czarnecki was the conference's Men's Tennis Athlete of the Week. The Bloomfield Hills native dominated in singles play going 4-0, winning his first two matches without dropping a single game. In doubles, he and his doubles partner, junior Sagar Kamaraju, went 3-1 with their only loss coming in a tiebreaker against Bridgewater College (Va.), 8-7, (7-4) on the last day of spring break.
Up next for men's tennis (6-4, 0-0 MIAA), they host Anderson University (Ind.) on Tuesday, Mar. 24 at 4 p.m.
General athletic news can be found at gobrits on Twitter, AlbionAthletics on Instagram and Albion College Athletics on Facebook.
Joe and Julie Serra have given a $5 million leadership gift to launch a fundraising initiative to make two dreams a reality at Albion College. The first is a newly expanded fitness and student activity facility at the site of the current Dow Recreation and Wellness Center. The second is a new or renovated competition facility for the volleyball, men's basketball and women's basketball teams that currently call Kresge Gymnasium home.