NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – The Atlantic 10 Conference distinguished Saint Louis fifth-year Gabbie Kowalik as the league’s Softball Player of the Week while Loyola Chicago sophomore Peyton Pepkowski collected the Pitcher laurels. George Mason freshman Elyssa DeRosa slid in for her second Rookie offering. The awards were announced Wednesday following the conclusion of the fourth week of contests played Feb. 27 – March 5.
 
Kowalik, a product of New Braunfels, Texas, composed a competitive effort at Lipscomb's Purple & Gold Challenge, leading the Billikens in batting average (.571), hits (8), RBI (7), slugging percentage (1.429), on-base percentage (.700), OPS (2.129), runs (7) and stolen bases (3-for-3). Notably, the fifth-year bombed four home runs, including a school-record-tying three versus Providence in the tournament opener, and only suffered one strikeout in a total 20 plate appearances. The Billikens finished 2-3 in the tournament, splitting with the Friars and Youngstown State before falling to Lipscomb.
 
Hailing from St. John, Ind., Pepkowski tossed a 7.0-inning no-hitter in Sunday's 7-0 win over Butler at the Saluki Invitational, recording the seventh such performance in program history and the first since Loyola's combined no-hitter three years against George Mason. Additionally, the sophomore’s stellar outing serves as the second no-hitter recorded by an Atlantic 10 pitcher this season and the 47th overall this season in NCAA Division I softball. She also added 6.0 frames of work earlier in the week versus Southern Illinois, allowing six hits and five earned runs while also setting down six on strikeouts.
 
DeRosa, a native of Corning, N.Y., started all four games for the Patriots across a full weekend slate, finishing with a win over Fairfield, a split against St. Francis and a tight loss to Virginia. The freshman paced the squad in batting average (7-for-14, .500), doubles (3), triples (1) and runs batted in (6), notching a few clutch hits in the two Mason victories (three RBI in each). During Saturday's clash with Fairfield and the Patriots down a pair in the top of the seventh, DeRosa drove a double into the outfield, clearing the bases en route to the eventual win. Later, in Sunday's contest against St. Francis, the outfielder posted an RBI double in the third before jacking a second two-baser – this time for a pair of RBI – for the walk-off run-rule victory.