April 5, 2006
DAVIS, Calif. - UC Davis freshman Belinda Paine has been named the Division I Independent Newcomer of the Week for games played March 27 through April 2. The freshman outfielder batted .455 in the Aggies' five games and stole five bases in five attempts. The honor is the first for Paine and marks the sixth time this season an Aggie has received weekly D-I Independent recognition.
Paine went 5-for-11 on the week, including 5-for-8 in the team's three-game series at Pacific. In the first game against the Tigers, she went 2-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored. She also stole two bases in the process. Paine added another stolen base in the second game before going 3-for-3 in Sunday's 8-5 victory. She also stole two more bases in the series finale.
Paine leads UC Davis with 10 stolen bases in as many attempts. Her efforts at the plate raised her batting average to .304 on the year.
Overall, UC Davis has 39 stolen bases, which is just four shy of last season's total. The Aggies rank second in that category among the nine Division I Independent teams.
In five weeks of awards, which include player, pitcher and newcomer of the week, UC Davis has had two players honored in each of the three categories.
The Aggies are next in action April 8 when they host UC Riverside in a doubleheader that starts at 12 p.m. The three-game series with the Highlanders is scheduled to conclude Sunday with a single game at 12 p.m.
