SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Furman’s AnnaRose Borrelli and Samford’s Jessica Stone have been named Southern Conference Softball Player and Pitcher of the Week, respectively, for games played Feb. 16-22. Selections are made by the league office.
Borrelli, a sophomore first baseman, helped the Paladins to a 4-3 record this past week by blasting three home runs, driving in eight runs and batting .500. A native of Matthews, N.C., Borrelli started off the week by going 3-for-4 with a solo home run and three RBIs in the second game of Furman’s doubleheader against Presbyterian last Tuesday. She also posted a big game in a 6-1 win over MAC preseason favorite Kent State on Saturday, registering a 3-for-4 night at the plate with a solo blast and two RBIs. Borrelli concluded the weekend with a 2-for-3 performance that included a two-run homer in a 4-0 victory over Akron on Sunday. For the week, she posted a .565 on-base percentage and a .950 slugging percentage.
Stone led Samford to the program’s first win against a top-25 team on Saturday in Mobile, Ala., pitching seven innings and allowing zero earned runs in the Bulldogs’ 8-5 win over No. 23 South Alabama. The junior right-hander also threw 6 2/3 shutout innings in a narrow 4-3 loss to Southern Mississippi in the first half of the Bulldogs’ Saturday doubleheader. She walked only two batters in her 13 2/3 total innings of work.
Furman will be back in action for a five-game set at the Spartan Classic in Greenville, S.C., starting Friday, while Samford will host the Samford Tournament beginning Friday in Birmingham, Ala.
Other nominees for player of the week: Taylor Carter (ETSU), Lexie Higgins (Samford), Sam Taylor (Chattanooga) and Hunter Gibbons (Western Carolina).
Other nominees for pitcher of the week: Lindsey Fadnek (ETSU), Emily Demonte (Furman), Cori Jennings (Chattanooga) and Taylor Sigmon (Western Carolina).
2016 Softball Players of the Week
Feb. 15 – Lindsay Thomas, UNCG, C
Feb. 22 – AnnaRose Borrelli, FUR, 1B
2016 Softball Pitchers of the Week
Feb. 15 – Cori Jennings, Chattanooga
Feb. 22 – Jessica Stone, Samford
-www.SoConSports.com-