#55 Melissa Rochford 2017-18 Softball Roster
Infield
HONORS AND AWARDS:
2018 All-Atlantic Coast Conference Second Team
2017 NFCA Mid-Atlantic All-Region Second Team
2017 All-Atlantic Coast Conference Second Team
2016 NFCA Mid-Atlantic All-Region First Team
2016 Atlantic Coast Conference All-Academic Team
AS A JUNIOR (2018):
• Named to the All-ACC Second Team for the second straight year.
• Started all 57 games at third base, marking the second consecutive season she has started every contest at the hot corner.
• Established a program career record by being hit by a pitch for the 36th time, adding 15 hit by pitch during the season as part of a .361 on-base percentage.
• Drove in 22 runs and scored 25 times, successfully stealing four bases.
• Batted a sizzling .442 (19-for-43) with runners in scoring position to lead all Notre Dame hitters, adding a .340 (16-for-47) clip and a team-high 14 RBI with two outs.
• Ranked third on the Irish roster with six multiple-hit RBI games, and fourth with 10 multi-hit games.
• Notched two RBI in a win over Saint Mary’s (Feb. 9).
• 2-for-4 with a run scored against South Dakota (Feb. 10).
• Scored a pair of runs and stole a base in a win over UMass (March 2).
• Went a perfect 3-for-3 with a double, two RBI and a run scored versus UC Santa Barbara (March 3).
• Logged two hits and scored a total of three runs during a midweek doubleheader sweep at North Florida (March 13).
• Key two-RBI single helped cap a series victory at Louisville (March 18) for the second straight season.
• 2-for-3 with a double, three RBI and a run scored in an ACC win against North Carolina (March 24).
• Connected on a solo home run to power a Notre Dame triumph in game two at Virginia Tech (March 31).
• 3-for-3 with two RBI in the first game of an ACC doubleheader against Duke (April 14).
• Went 2-for-4 with an RBI and two runs scored in the nightcap against the Blue Devils (April 14).
• RBI triple helped lift Notre Dame to a game one ACC win at Boston College (April 20).
• 2-for-2 with a double, two hit by pitches and two runs scored in the series finale against the Eagles (April 22).
• Drove in a pair of runs in a midweek victory over Bowling Green (April 24).
• Responsible for an insurance RBI thanks to a sixth inning double in a victory over eventual NCAA champion No. 8 Florida State (April 29).
• Finished 2-for-3 with an RBI single to open ACC Championship play against Boston College (May 10).
• Brought home the winning run with a sixth-inning RBI single to knock No. 17 Michigan out of the NCAA Lexington Regional (May 20).
AS A SOPHOMORE (2017):
• NFCA Mid-Atlantic All-Region Second-Team selection.
• Earned all-conference honors for the first time after being named to the All-ACC Second Team.
• Started all 57 games for the Irish at third base.
• Batted .302 with five doubles, two triples, five home runs, 42 RBI, a .383 on-base percentage, a .444 slugging percentage and 28 runs scored.
• Posted a .386 average (22-for-57) with runners in scoring position, and logged 14 RBI with two outs on the strength of a .327 (16-for-49) clip.
• Ranked second on the team with 11 multiple-RBI games, and fourth with 14 multi-hit outings.
• Crushed a three-run home run to power an Irish win over San Diego State (Feb. 11).
• Perfect 3-for-3 with an RBI against Texas (Feb. 23).
• 2-for-4 with an RBI double and a run scored in upset victory against No. 11 Georgia (Feb. 24) at the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic.
• Scored the first Notre Dame run of a win over eventual NCAA champion No. 4 Oklahoma (Feb. 25) the following day.
• Two-run single and scored one run in a win over Purdue (March 4).
• 2-for-4 with a double and two RBI later in the day against FIU (March 4).
• Registered five hits, including a triple, and drove in four runs in an ACC series at Georgia Tech (March 11-12).
• Notched three RBI in midweek victory at Mercer (March 15).
• Scored twice during the opening game of the season at Melissa Cook Stadium against Michigan State (March 22).
• Ripped a two-run home run in the opening game of a weekend series versus Virginia Tech (March 24).
• Game-winning two-run single in the top of the seventh inning highlighted two-hit game at Louisville (April 1).
• 2-for-4 with a walk-off RBI single in the opening game of an ACC doubleheader against North Carolina (April 8).
• Went 2-for-4 with a three-run triple and three runs scored against Detroit Mercy (April 11).
• Connected on a three-run home run as part of four RBI in a midweek win versus Western Michigan (April 19).
• Drove in four runs and scored twice in a game one ACC win against Boston College (May 5).
• Finished series against the Eagles (May 6-7) 2-for-4 with an RBI and run scored in each contest.
• Went 2-for-4 with two runs scored against East Tennessee State (May 20) at the NCAA Auburn Regional.
AS A FRESHMAN (2016):
• NFCA Mid-Atlantic All-Region First Team despite missing 14 games due to injury.
• Named to the all-ACC Academic Team.
• Earned first career ACC Player of the Week award on March 14.
• Registered the best on-base percentage ever by a Notre Dame freshman, reaching at a .497 clip after batting .398 with 14 extra-base hits and 40 RBI in 42 games (41 starts).
• Chipped in seven successful stolen bases in eight tries and scored 39 runs.
• Also finished as the Notre Dame leader by being hit by pitch nine times, and notched the third-most walks on the Irish with 18.
• Batted .352 (19-for-54) with runners in scoring position, and hit .412 overall with runners on (28-for-68).
• Ranked third on the Irish with 10 multiple-RBI games and fourth with 14 multi-hit games.
• Logged 68 infield assists at third base, and along with 38 putouts made only three errors for a .972 fielding percentage.
• Had one hit and one walk in the second game of the season against No. 18 Kentucky (Feb. 12).
• Went 2-for-2 with a double and a run scored against BYU (Feb. 13).
• Hit first career home run and finished with three RBI and two runs scored later in the day against No. 21 California (Feb. 13).
• Perfect 3-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored in a win over Georgia State (Feb. 14).
• Went 1-for-3 with two RBI and one run scored in a victory against No. 8 UCLA (Feb. 20).
• 2-for-3 with a home run, two RBI and a career-high three runs scored in a run-rule win over George Washington (Feb. 21).
• Went 1-for-2 with an RBI and a hit by pitch to help defeat No. 22 UCF (Feb. 26).
• 2-for-3 with a double, three RBI and a run scored against North Florida (Feb. 27).
• Added a 2-for-2 outing that included an RBI double and run scored later in the day against Bryant (Feb. 27).
• Perfect 3-for-3 with a stolen base and three runs scored against Stony Brook (March 6).
• Career-high four RBI in game one win during a doubleheader at FIU (March 9).
• Batted a combined 5-for-8 with five RBI and three runs scored in twin bill at FIU (March 9).
• Finished 2-for-2 with a home run, two RBI, two walks and two runs in the second game of an ACC doubleheader at Virginia (March 12) after driving in three runs earlier in the day against the Cavaliers.
• 2-for-2 with an RBI and two runs scored against Bowling Green (March 17).
• Went 2-for-3 with an RBI double, stolen base and run in game two of an ACC doubleheader at Syracuse (March 26).
• Smacked a home run and drove in two runs during an ACC doubleheader sweep at Virginia Tech (April 16).
• Went 2-for-4 with a double and first career triple scoring one run during the series finale at Virginia Tech (April 17).
• 2-for-2 with an RBI, a stolen base and three runs scored in a win over Valparaiso (April 20).
• Scored two runs during a victory in the second game of an ACC doubleheader at North Carolina (April 24).
• Crossed home plate once in final appearance of the season against DePaul (April 27) before being sidelined due to injury.
PREP AND PERSONAL:
• Three-year letterwinner at Mater Dei High School.
• Sidelined during junior and senior seasons due to injury.
• Helped lead the Monarchs to a Trinity League Championship as a sophomore, batting .446 with 22 RBI.
• Named to the all-Trinity League first team.
• Selected as the 2014 Monarch Pride Award winner.
• Claimed second team all-Trinity League honors as a freshman, batting .389 as one of the team’s co-rookies of the year.
• Has seen extensive time on the club level with the Corona Angels (10U), Irvine Sting (12U/14U), Orange County Batbusters-Myers (16U) and SoCal Athletics-Richardson (18U).
• 2013 PGF National Championship team runner-up with the OC Batbusters-Myers.
• Recognized by the California Scholarship Federation, and was a member of the National Honor Society.
• Named to the Mater Dei principal’s honor roll in eight straight semesters.
• Attended the same high school as 1964 Heisman Trophy winner John Huarte, former Notre Dame football captain Joe Schmidt, former Irish softball All-American Heather Johnson (’11) and former teammate and second team All-America first baseman Micaela Arizmendi (’16).
• Daughter of John and Remy Rochford.
• Has one sister, Brittany, who played softball at Emerson College.
• Great-grandmother Theresa Ostenberg attended St. Mary’s College in 1905.
• Enrolled in the Mendoza College of Business as a management consulting major.