This week’s Orange Panther of the Week is 2nd baseman Dante DeFranco. In Wednesday’s 9-1 win over Northwood, DeFranco went 2-for-3 with two runs scored. He has a 17-game hitting streak extending back to last season, when he hit safely in his final seven games for Cedar Ridge. After transferring to Orange over the summer, DeFranco has had a hit in the Panthers’ first ten games this season. Hitting leadoff, DeFranco has helped Orange reach the top of the Big 8 Conference after beating Northwood in Hillsborough on Wednesday. This season, DeFranco is hitting .371 with 15 RBIs, which is actually 2nd on the team despite DeFranco leading off in all of Orange’s games. The Panthers return to action on Saturday against Northwood in Pittsboro.