SPARTANBURG, S.C. ? College of Charleston freshman Katie Nutaitis has been named the Southern Conference softball Player of the Week while Chattanooga’s Brooke Loudermilk has been named the league’s Pitcher of the Week for March 31.
Nutaitis batted .529 (9-for-17) in five games last week, leading the Cougars to a SoCon series victory over Georgia Southern in Statesboro. The Vienna, Va., native collected seven hits against the Eagles, including for a 4-for-4 effort in game two of Saturday’s doubleheader. In that contest, she had a double and three RBIs. In Sunday’s series finale, Nutaitis belted her second career home run in a one-run defeat.
Loudermilk earned her second straight Pitcher of the Week honor by earning three victories and a save in four outings last week. The Locust Grove, Ga., native struck out eight batters while tossing a complete game, one-hit shutout against Tennessee State on March 26. Against Western Carolina on Saturday, Loudermilk struck out 11 Lady Catamounts in UTC’s 3-1 win, and in Sunday’s doubleheader she gave up one hit and struck out five in three innings of relief to earn a victory in game one and a save in game two.
Other top hitters included Chattanooga’s Toni Hutchison, Elon’s Tracey Dahlen, Furman’s Brythe Blankenship, UNC Greensboro’s Mary Greenway and Western Carolina’s Mollie Fowler. Among the top pitchers this week were Furman’s Lana Mackey and UNC Greensboro’s Amber Harrell.
2008 Softball Players of the Week
Feb. 18 Katie Boyd, Appalachian State
Feb. 25 Katie Blevins, Chattanooga
March 3 Kristie Shifflett, College of Charleston
March 10 Robyne Siliga, Georgia Southern
March 17 Meredith Mielke, Furman
March 24 Melanie Helterbran, Elon
March 31 Katie Nutaitis, College of Charleston
2008 Softball Pitchers of the Week
Feb. 18 Pam DelPizzo, Elon
Feb. 25 Lana Mackey, Furman
March 3 Melissa Laliberte, Georgia Southern
March 10 Melissa Laliberte, Georgia Southern
March 17 Lana Mackey, Furman
March 24 Brooke Loudermilk, Chattanooga
March 31 Brooke Loudermilk, Chattanooga