SPARTANBURG, S.C. – UNC Greensboro’s Delaney Cumbie and Western Carolina’s Savannah Rice have been named the Southern Conference softball player and pitcher of the week, respectively, for games played Feb. 10-16, the conference office announced Monday.
 
Cumbie hit .500 on the weekend with eight hits, eight RBIs and four runs scored as UNCG went 3-2 in the Winthrop Softball Tournament in Rock Hill, South Carolina. In Friday’s tournament opener, the native of Dunn, North Carolina, had an RBI single as the Spartans shut out Virginia, 2-0. Later that afternoon she went 2-for-4 with a double and two RBIs as UNCG took down Eastern Kentucky, 8-3. She went 2-for-3 a day later in a loss to Towson and concluded the tournament on Sunday going 3-for-4 with a career-high seven RBIs in an 11-7 win over Holy Cross. The sophomore catcher hit two home runs, one of which was a grand slam, to put UNCG back in front in the fifth inning en route to the win.
 
Rice, a freshman, was given the nod in the circle in Western Carolina’s season opener at Clemson, the Tigers’ first home game of their inaugural season. The Marshall, North Carolina, native threw a complete-game shutout, allowing seven hits and two walks and recording four strikeouts as she allowed just one baserunner to get to third in the Catamounts’ 2-0 win.
 
Others nominated for player of the week: Makenna Helton (ETSU), Kenlie Harvey (Mercer), Aly Walker (Chattanooga) and Bailey Huneycutt (Western Carolina).
 
Others nominated for pitcher of the week: Mackenzie Dyson (ETSU), Amber Byrd (Mercer), Abby Swaney (Samford) and Celie Hudson (Chattanooga).
 
2020 SoCon Softball Players of the Week
Feb. 10 – O’Neil Roberson, 1B, Jr., Samford
Feb. 17 – Delaney Cumbie, C, So., UNCG
 
2020 SoCon Softball Pitchers of the Week
Feb. 10 – Celie Hudson, Sr., Chattanooga
Feb. 17 – Savannah Rice, Fr., Western Carolina