Shayla Kaplen’s hot early season bat has earned her the Cascade Collegiate Conference Red Lion Softball Player of the Week award as a member of the UBC Thunderbirds.
The Richmond Islanders product and Steveston-London graduate went eight-for-14 at the plate, while driving in eight runs as UBC went 4-2 in their first-ever Cascade Conference games, including a sweep of No. 17 Corban. The junior outfielder also drew seven walks and was perfect on three stolen base attempts.
In a 9-3 game one win over Corban, Kaplen rocked the Oregon school for five hits, highlighted by a two-run blast in the sixth inning. She also drove in two runs in the second and finished with five RBI. She added another hit and an RBI in a 4-3 game two win.
Kaplen leads the Thunderbirds (4-13 overall) in several offensive categories including average (.469), hits (23) and runs (17).
Another Lulu Island product off to a solid start is Hillary Strelau. The third-year shortstop/outfielder is batting .357 to rank third on the team. The Hugh Boyd graduate also leads the way with 10 stolen bases in as many attempts.
The Thunderbirds roster also includes JN Burnett grad Margarita Sison who is seeing playing time at catcher and in the outfield.
UBC returns to action Friday and Saturday by hosting a pair of Montana schools — Carroll and Great Falls — in a doubleheaders on Friday and Saturday respectively at Softball City in Surrey.
