SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Samford third baseman Timberlyn Shurbutt and Western Carolina right-hander Jayme Eilers have been named the Southern Conference softball player and pitcher of the week, respectively, for their efforts over the first weekend of the season. The awards are selected by the league office.
 
Samford’s Shurbutt hit .389 and slugged .778 to help the Bulldogs to a 3-2 start to the season at the Black and Gold Invitational in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. The Alexandria, Alabama, native opened her senior campaign with a solo home run in Samford’s nine-inning 5-4 setback to North Alabama on Friday and followed that up with a 2-for-3 showing later in the day in an 8-1 loss to Saint Louis. The next day, Shurbutt drew a walk and reached on a fielder’s choice in a five-inning 9-0 win over the Billikens before breaking out with a 3-for-4 outing in a 10-6 win over host Southern Miss that afternoon. Shurbutt, who fell a home run short of the cycle, scored three times and drove in four runs in the contest. She capped her opening week with a two-run double in Sunday’s 6-0 win over Southern Miss.
 
Western Carolina’s Eilers went 3-0 with 23 strikeouts against just two walks, five hits allowed and a 0.82 ERA in three appearances at the River City Leadoff in Jacksonville, Florida. The junior from Sterling, Illinois, opened her season with a 2-1 complete-game win over host Jacksonville on Friday, allowing just one run on two hits and striking out 11. She entered in the seventh inning with the game tied at 2 against the Dolphins the following day, allowing one run on two hits over three innings to pick up the victory when the Catamounts won 4-3 in nine innings. Eilers saved her best game for last, carrying a no-hitter against NC State into the seventh before the Wolfpack broke it up with a harmless single with two down. Eilers then induced a flyout to center to close out the 1-0 one-hitter, again striking out 11 and allowing just three baserunners on the day.
 
Samford (3-2) returns to action with a home-and-home series against Kennesaw State this weekend, visiting the Owls for a Friday afternoon doubleheader before KSU returns the favor Sunday. Western Carolina (4-1) welcomes Georgia State for doubleheader in Cullowhee, North Carolina, on Wednesday before heading to Rock Hill, South Carolina, for the Winthrop Kick-Off Tournament from Friday-Sunday.
 
Other nominees for player of the week: Alana Collins (ETSU), Natalie Morgan (Furman), Diamond Williams (Mercer), Blayke Batten (UNCG), Olivia Lipari (Chattanooga) and Savannah Rice (Western Carolina).
 
Other nominees for pitcher of the week: Sierra Tufts (Furman), Morgan Scott (UNCG), McKenzie Newcomb (Samford) and Brooke Parrott (Chattanooga).
 
2022 SoCon Softball Players of the Week
Feb. 14             Timberlyn Shurbutt, Sr., 3B, Samford
 
2022 SoCon Softball Pitchers of the Week
Feb. 14             Jayme Eilers, Jr., Western Carolina