SPARTANBURG, S.C. – UNC Greensboro’s Jasmine Palmer and the Spartans’ Morgan Scott have been named the Southern Conference softball player and pitcher of the week, respectively, for games played May 3-9, the conference office announced Monday. The weekly awards are the final ones of the season.
 
Palmer hit .571 with four hits, four RBIs and four runs scored as UNCG went 3-0 with a sweep of Western Carolina, who entered the series atop the conference standings, and claimed the top seed in the upcoming Southern Conference Softball Championship while earning the Spartans’ fourth straight regular-season title. In the first game of the series, Palmer went 1-for-3 with a solo home run in the sixth inning, also drawing a walk in the 9-1 win. Later that afternoon, the native of Asheville, North Carolina, went 2-for-3 with an RBI and two runs scored as the Spartans added another 9-1 victory. In Sunday’s series and regular-season finale, Palmer was 1-for-1 at the plate with a two-run home run in the second inning, adding another pair of RBIs and a run scored to her weekend numbers. She also drew a walk and was hit by a pitch in UNCG’s 5-0 win.
 
Scott, a sophomore, captures her third pitcher of the week honor of the season after going 2-0 in the series against Western Carolina. The native of Irmo, South Carolina, pitched the entire contest in the first game of the series, allowing just three hits and one earned run, the only run she allowed all week, while striking out nine in the six-inning win. On Sunday, the righthander threw a complete game and allowed just two hits, striking out five in the 5-0 shutout.
 
As the No. 1 seed, UNCG (31-15, 14-4 SoCon) hosts the 2021 Southern Conference Softball Championship and will take on No. 4 Mercer (23-21, 8-9) in the first game of the tournament, slated for Thursday, May 13, at 12:30 p.m.
 
Others nominated for player of the week: Mackense Greico (Furman), Allie Jones (Mercer), Timberlyn Shurbutt (Samford) and Hailey Weissenbach (Chattanooga).  
 
Others nominated for pitcher of the week: Madi Joice (Mercer) and Brooke Parrott (Chattanooga).
 
2021 SoCon Softball Players of the Week
Feb. 15 – Bailey Huneycutt, SS, Jr., Western Carolina
Feb. 22 – Courtney Ball, 3B, Fr., Chattanooga
March 1 – Nikki Grupp, 3B, R-Sr., ETSU
March 8 – Jasmine Palmer, OF, R-Sr., UNCG
March 15 – Timberlyn Shurbutt, IF, Jr., Samford
March 22 – Maycin Brown, IF, So., UNCG
March 29 – Whitney Hinton, 2B, Sr., Samford
April 5 – Hayleigh Weissenbach, OF, R-Sr., Chattanooga
April 12 – Bailey Huneycutt, SS, Jr., Western Carolina
April 19 – Makenna Matthijs, CF, Sr., UNCG
April 26 – Courtney Ball, 3B, Fr., Chattanooga
May 3 – Kayleigh Willis, DP, Sr., UNCG
May 10 – Jasmine Palmer, OF, R-Sr., UNCG
 
 
2021 SoCon Softball Pitchers of the Week
Feb. 15 – Jayme Eilers, So., Western Carolina
Feb. 22 – Abby Swaney, R-Fr., Samford
March 1 – Emily Barnett, Jr., Samford
March 8 – Morgan Scott, So., UNCG
March 15 – Kelly Schmidt, R-Sr., ETSU
March 22 – Kelly Schmidt, R-Sr., ETSU
March 29 – Emily Barnett, Jr., Samford
April 5 – Brooke Parrott, Jr., Chattanooga
April 12 – Savannah Rice, So., Western Carolina
April 19 – Ashlyn Donner, So., Mercer
April 26 – Morgan Scott, So., UNCG
May 3 – Jayme Eilers, So., Western Carolina
May 10 – Morgan Scott, So., UNCG