BROOKLYN, N.Y. - LIU Brooklyn softball sophomore Alina Castillo and freshman Camryn Lyman were named the Northeast Conference Co-Player and Rookie of the Week it was announced by the league office Tuesday afternoon. For Castillo, it marks the second consecutive week she has been recognized as Player of the Week by the NEC, for Lyman, it's her first career honor.

Castillo continued her torrid hitting last week as the Blackbirds went 4-1 and 3-1 in NEC play to clinch the first of four available NEC playoff spots. Currently on a nine-game hitting streak, she went 8-for-20 to hit .400 with two doubles, two home runs, four runs scored and 10 runs batted in.

She hit a home run on each against Robert Morris and Saint Francis U. Against the Colonials on Saturday, the Sacramento, Calif. Native went 4-for-8 with one homer and five RBIs. Castillo is now hitting a season-high .348 with 26 runs and 29 RBIs for the year and has reached base in 20 consecutive games.

Freshman Camryn Lyman, who hails from Chino Hills, Calif., hit .450 for the week and .471 in four NEC games - including going 7-for-9 with two runs scored and two runs batted in LIU's doubleheader sweep over RMU on Saturday. On the week, she was 9-for-20 while scoring five runs and driving in three, when a non-conference win over Saint Peter's is added in. Lyman stands third on the team in batting with .338 and has a team-high 17 walks for a .419 on base percentage, which is second on the team.

The Blackbirds will play their final non-conference game on Wednesday in Piscataway N.J. at Rutgers at 4:00 p.m. LIU will return home for two NEC doubleheaders on Friday (CCSU) and Saturday (Bryant) to close out the regular season.