SPARTANBURG, S.C. – UNCG’s Makenna Matthijs and Alicia Bazonski have been named Southern Conference softball player and pitcher of the week, respectively, for games played March 19-25, the conference office announced Monday. The award is the second consecutive weekly award for Matthijs and fifth career award for Bazonski.
Matthijs went 5-for-10 with eight RBIs, five runs, two doubles and one home run last week, helping UNCG to a sweep of Furman. Matthijs started the week by going 1-for-3 with one run and one RBI. The Greenville, North Carolina, native doubled to center field in the fourth inning of Saturday’s game to drive in Marisa Sholtes and tie the game against the Paladins. Matthijs then scored the game-winning run after Becca Kale dropped a single into center field with two outs, giving the Spartans their first SoCon win of the 2018 campaign. Matthijs exploded for four hits, four runs and seven RBIs in the first game of Sunday’s doubleheader, etching her name in the program record book as her four hits and seven RBIs tied for the second-most in a single game in program history while her four runs tied for third-most. The freshman finished the day just a triple shy of the cycle, launching a grand slam in the third inning. Matthijs recorded two hits in the same inning twice in the win. For the week, Matthijs batted .500 and now sits in the top 10 in eight SoCon statistical categories.
Bazonski finished the week 2-0 with a save and did not allow a run in 11 innings pitched. In the seventh inning of game one against Furman, Bazonski came on in relief and allowed just one batter to get on base for her first save of the season. In her second appearance, the senior pitched three scoreless innings and did not allow any walks, recorded two strikeouts and combined with Hannah Stiltner for the no-hitter. The Sheffield, Massachusetts, native wrapped up the series with a two-hit shutout, giving up just two hits and fanning six in the complete-game effort. Bazonski leads the conference with a 1.59 ERA and ranks second with 92 1/3 innings pitched and 11 wins.
Others nominated for player of the week: Tiffany Laughren (ETSU), Quirisa Mauga (Mercer), Hannah Trombley (Samford) and Madison Armstrong (Western Carolina).
Others nominated for pitcher of the week: Madison Ogle (ETSU), Stella Preston (Mercer), McKenna Gillespie (Samford) and Lily Hayes (Western Carolina).
2018 SoCon Softball Players of the Week
Feb. 12 – Marisa Sholtes, 1B, RJr., UNCG
Feb. 19 – Makenna Matthijs, OF, Fr., UNCG
Feb. 26 – Caroline Taylor, 1B, RSr., Mercer
March 5 – Shelby Maze, OF, Sr., Samford
March 12 – Candace Johnson, OF, RSr., Furman
March 19 – Makenna Matthijs, OF, Fr., UNCG
March 26 – Makenna Matthijs, OF, Fr., UNCG
2018 SoCon Softball Pitchers of the Week
Feb. 12 – Emily Demonte, Jr., Furman
Feb. 19 – Emily Demonte, Jr., Furman
Feb. 26 – Lindsey Bert, Sr., Furman
March 5 – Jill McElderry, Sr., Mercer
March 12 – Stephanie Bryden, Jr., UNCG
March 19 – Madison Ogle, Sr., ETSU
March 26 – Alicia Bazonski, Sr., UNCG