Loretto, Pa. - Grace Vesco ( Uniontown, Ohio/North Canton Hoover) crowns her first weekend of collegiate softball by winning NEC Rookie of the Week for her performance at the USC Upstate Spartan Classic.

Vesco started opening day against a veteran lineup in Marshall and pitched a gem of a complete game only yielding two earned runs while compiling six strikeouts. Her six strikeouts were the most by an individual Red Flash pitcher since Christina Clark (Avon, Ohio/Avon High School) tossed six Ks against Penn State on April 3, 2019.

After the Red Flash rallied for a 5-4 lead in the top of the seventh inning, Vesco returned to the circle and buoyed by the lead hurled like a veteran fireman not allowing a single Thundering Herd batter to reach base to seal the opening day win.

For the weekend, Vesco pitched 13 innings and recorded 13 strikeouts while notching a 3.77 ERA. The 13 strikeouts were the most for a SFU pitcher during a non-conference tournament since the 2018 Mizuno Classic.

Vesco and the Red Flash softball team return to action this Friday at the Campbell Invitational. The first of four games is against Howard at 10 a.m.