SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Samford’s Abby Adams and Furman’s Shelby Parker have been named the Southern Conference Softball Player and Pitcher of the Week, respectively, the league announced Monday. The selections are made by the Southern Conference office.
Adams earns Player of the Week honors after helping the Bulldogs go 5-1 last week. The junior shortstop hit a pair of home runs in a midweek doubleheader with Austin Peay, driving in four runs and notching five hits in 11-1 and 6-5 Bulldog wins. Adams went 2-for-3 with a stolen base in Samford’s 3-0 loss to Auburn in the Auburn Tournament on Friday. She went 2-for-3 and scored two runs in a 10-0 win over Mississippi Valley State and scored and drove in a run to lead the Bulldogs over Purdue 6-3. Adams finished the week hitting .474 with nine hits, eight runs scored, five RBIs and a pair of home runs.
Parker did not give up a run in 21 1/3 innings pitched and tossed a five-inning no-hitter last week to earn Pitcher of the Week honors. The junior from Cherokee, N.C., started the week by striking out 13 in eight scoreless innings to give the Paladins a 1-0 win over Presbyterian. Parker then celebrated her 21st birthday in style, as she no-hit Liberty, fanning six batters and walking just two in the 12-0 win. She followed that with another complete-game shutout, striking out eight and surrendering just two hits in a 3-0 win over Winthrop on Saturday. Parker pitched 1 1/3 scoreless innings against USC Upstate in a 4-3 loss in the championship game of the Spartan Classic. In 21 1/3 total innings, Parker struck out 27 batters, walking just four, and allowed only six hits to go 3-0 in four appearances.
Also receiving nominations for player of the week: Appalachian State’s Cara Parker, Elon’s Ali Ford, Furman’s Nikki Legg, Georgia Southern’s Breanna McLendon, Chattanooga’s Criket Blanco and Western Carolina's Courtney Price.
Also nominated for pitcher of the week: Appalachian State’s Shivaun Landeros, Elon’s Chelsea White, Georgia Southern’s Brooke Red, Samford’s Mollie Hanson, Chattanooga’s Katie Henderson and Western Carolina's Mallory Broome.
2014 Softball Player of the Week
Feb. 10 Emily Cameron, Elon
Feb. 17 Sam Taylor, Chattanooga
Feb. 24 Abby Adams, Samford
2014 Softball Pitcher of the Week
Feb. 10 Sarah Purvis, Georgia Southern
Feb. 17 Sarah Purvis, Georgia Southern
Feb. 24 Shelby Parker, Furman