SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Mercer shortstop Emma Andrew and pitcher Stella Preston have been named the Southern Conference Softball Player and Pitcher of the Week, respectively, for games held March 20-26, the league announced Monday. Selections are made by the Southern Conference office.
Andrew hit .545 and slugged .909 in the Bears’ SoCon opening series against Chattanooga this past weekend with Mercer winning Sunday’s rubber match, 9-2. The junior led the Bears’ comeback effort in Mercer’s 4-3 loss in Saturday’s opening contest, going 2-for-4 at the plate and recording an RBI in the bottom of the fifth inning to cut the Mocs’ lead to one run. In the second game of the Bears’ doubleheader against Chattanooga, Andrew went 1-for-3 at the plate with a run scored, aiding Mercer in winning its first conference game of the season. Andrew’s peak performance came in Sunday’s rubber match in which she went 3-for-4 and was a triple shy of hitting the cycle. In Andrew’s first at-bat, she singled to center field to advance teammate Quirisa Mauga to third base, who would eventually steal home to give the Bears an early 3-0 cushion. Andrew later doubled to left-center field in the bottom of the third before scoring the Bears’ sixth run of the game. The next inning, Andrew recorded her second home run of the season over the left field wall to knock home Bears’ first baseman Maxine Rodriguez and Mauga, which gave Mercer a hefty 9-0 lead. Andrew also added two stolen bases Sunday’s 9-1 victory.
Preston posted a 0.00 ERA in six innings pitched for the Bears in Saturday’s doubleheader against Chattanooga. The freshman surrendered just two combined runs in her pair of appearances. The Safety Harbor, Florida, native registered a save in Mercer’s first conference win of the season in which the Bears won, 7-1. Preston struck out five Mocs on the weekend, four of which came in the Bears’ first contest, while only walking two batters in Saturday’s 7-1 win.
Other nominees for player of the week: Gabrielle Cubbage (UNCG) and Shelby Maze (Samford).
Other nominees for pitcher of the week: Lindsey Bert (Furman) and Alicia Bazonski (UNCG).
2017 Softball Players of the Week
Feb. 13 – Tiffany Laughren, ETSU, OF
Feb. 20 – Jasmine Palmer, UNCG, UT
Feb. 27 – Megan Lane, Mercer, C
March 6 – Abby Walsh, Mercer, OF
March 13 – Emily Acquaviva, UNCG, OF
March 20 – Abby Sweeney, Samford, OF
March 27 – Emma Andrew, Mercer, SS
2017 Softball Pitchers of the Week
Feb. 13 – Madison Ogle, ETSU
Feb. 20 – Lindsey Bert, Furman
Feb. 27 – Lindsey Bert, Furman
March 6 – Courtney Buchanan, Western Carolina
March 13 – Lindsey Bert, Furman
March 20 – Jessica Stone, Samford
March 27 – Stella Preston, Mercer
-www.SoConSports.com-