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News Release

Kali Shirk Tabbed America East Softball Player of the Week

5/5/2008

Kali Shirk batted .556 in five games en route to her second career Player of the Week recognition.

CAMBRIDGE, Mass.—UMBC senior catcher Kali Shirk (North Wales, Pa./North Penn) was named America East Player of the Week for the final week of the regular season, the conference announced Monday. The award is Shirk’s first this season and the second of her career.

Shirk led the Retrievers with 10 hits and a .556 average (10-for-18) on the week. She hit two home runs and slugged .889, scored four runs and drove in four. She also walked four times, reached base at a .636 clip and stole three bases.

Shirk produced two three-hit games on the week, including the regular-season finale at Maine, when she went 3-for-4 with a homer, three RBI, two runs scored and a walk. Shirk went 6-for-11 with two home runs in the Maine series, leading the Retrievers to a three-game sweep that clinched an America East Tournament berth.

The weekend raised Shirk’s batting average in conference games to .368. For the season, she is hitting .308 with 30 runs scored and 20 stolen bases.

Shirk is the second Retriever to earn America East Player of the Week honors, as senior first baseman Ashley Gray was recognized on March 10.

Shirk and the Retrievers return to action on Thursday at the America East Championships. Fourth-seeded UMBC will take on three-time defending champion Albany, which earned the No. 1 seed and the right to host the tournament.