STANDISH, ME – Saint Joseph's senior shortstop Liddy van der Linden (Worcester, MA/St. Peter Marian) is the Monks' new single-season record holder for home runs.
The three-year team captain belted a solo shot in the bottom of the fourth inning off Emerson College starter Kelsey Tuthill '12 (Middlefield, CT), the 2009 GNAC Pitcher and Rookie of the Year, giving her a total of nine homers this season. The tally breaks the mark held by teammate Emily Leverone '12 (Hampton, NH), who slammed eight taters last spring. Slugger Kelly Premo '02 previously held the single-season record, with six long balls in 2002, for seven years.
van der Linden, a nursing major at St. Joe's, has played in all 153 games in her four-year career, with all 153 starts at shortstop. Her name is scattered throughout the Monks' career leaders, as she is currently tied for 1st in career homers (13) and ranks 3rd in hits (166), doubles (36) and RBI (117). She is 4th in career at bats (475), 7th in games played, 9th in runs (103), 10th in slugging percentage (.520) and 12th in batting average (.349).
Through 34 games this season for the 27-7 Monks, van der Linden is hitting .374 (40-107) with 29 runs, eight doubles, nine homers, 33 RBI and a .701 slugging percentage.
On pace to post career-highs in a handful of statistical categories this spring, van der Linden's play so far in 2010 helped the Monks shatter the program record with a 23-game winning streak, which ended last night at the hands of Emerson College.
Saint Joseph's (20-2 GNAC) will close out the regular season this evening with a conference twinbill at Rivier College (26-1, 20-0 GNAC), with the first game starting at 6:00 PM.
