New Haven freshman Breanne Gleason has been named the Louisville Slugger/NFCA Division II Player of the Week for the week ending Mar. 18, the association announced Wednesday. Gleason helped the Chargers to a 9-1 record, half of the team’s 2006 win total, as she went 8-1 in the circle with a 0.49 ERA. She hurled 55 2/3 innings, going the distance in six contests with 59 strikeouts and 14 walks at the Rebel Spring Games.
She picked up both wins as UNH opened the year with a two-game sweep of then-No. 14 Nebraska-Omaha. In the two games, Gleason limited UNO to a run on eight hits over 10 2/3 innings.
Gleason followed that outing with a complete-game effort against Minnesota-Duluth in which she allowed a pair of runs on eight hits with seven strikeouts. In a 2-1 win over Minnesota State-Mankato, Gleason gave up a run and five hits as she picked up the win in a complete-game, eight-inning effort.
She followed that outing by entering in relief against Slippery Rock and guiding the Chargers to the win as she held the opposition to a single hit the final four and two-thirds innings.
Gleason closed out the week by hurling a complete-game, six-hit shutout against Nova Southeastern in which she struck out five and walked one.
The rookie from Bristol, Ct., also used her bat to help her squad run off eight straight wins before suffering its first setback of the campaign. In the 10-game week, Gleason saw action in the outfield and hit .531 (17-for-32) with seven doubles, 10 runs and four RBIs.
