SPARTANBURG, S.C. – UNCG’s Marisa Sholtes and Furman’s Lindsey Bert have been named player and pitcher of the week, respectively, for games played April 23-29, the conference office announced Monday. After tying the conference record last week with 10 pitcher of the week selections, Bert now holds the Southern Conference record with 11 in her career. This is the second weekly award of the season for Sholtes.
Sholtes led UNCG in seven batting categories last week, including a .647 on-base percentage, 1.231 slugging percentage and nine RBIs in four games as the Spartans went 3-1 last week. Sholtes started the week with one hit, one RBI and one run in a nonconference win over Campbell. The redshirt junior then finished 2-for-3 with three RBIs and two runs scored in a win at NC State as she clubbed two home runs in the contest. In the Spartans lone loss of the week, Sholtes finished with a double and one run scored in the second game of Saturday’s doubleheader. The Albany, New York, native rounded out the week with a 3-for-4 effort with five RBIs and three runs scored in a 24-2 win over NC State on Sunday. Sholtes finished with two doubles and one walk in the series finale. The first baseman, who hit .538 last week, currently ranks first in the SoCon with a .733 slugging percentage and fourth with a .373 batting average. Sholtes also leads the league with a .495 on-base percentage.
Bert put together another dominating weekend as she tossed a pair of shutouts to power Furman to a series victory over Samford. The left-hander hurled a one-hit shutout and fanned 13 batters on Saturday in a 7-0 win before striking out eight batters and surrendering just two hits in Sunday’s 12-0, five-inning blanking of the Bulldogs. For the weekend, the senior allowed just three hits over 12 innings and fanned 21 batters without allowing a run. The Tallahassee, Florida, native leads the SoCon in seven statistical categories and leads the nation with 272 strikeouts this season.
Others nominated for player of the week: Taylor Wright (ETSU), Hannah Reynolds (Furman), Laurenne Sanchez (Mercer), Aly Walker (Chattanooga) and Hunter Gibbons (Western Carolina).
Others nominated for pitcher of the week: Kelly Schmidt (ETSU), Megan Bilgri (Mercer) and Stephanie Bryden (UNCG).
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
April 2 – Shelby Maze, OF, Sr., Samford
April 9 – Lindsey Bert, DP, Sr., Furman
April 16 – Shelby Maze, OF, Sr., Samford
April 23 – Ashlyn Barnes, SS, Fr., Samford
April 30 – Marisa Sholtes, 1B, RJr., 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
April 2 – Stephanie Bryden, Jr., UNCG
April 9 – Lindsey Bert, Sr., Furman
April 16 – Celie Hudson, So., Chattanooga
April 23 – Lindsey Bert, Sr., Furman
April 30 – Lindsey Bert, Sr., Furman