SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Samford utility player Mary Katherine Tedder and right-handed pitcher McKenzie Newcomb have been named the Southern Conference softball player and pitcher of the week, respectively, for games from April 4-10. The awards are selected by the league office.
 
Tedder hit .556 and slugged 1.000 as the Bulldogs swept a three-game SoCon set from Western Carolina over the weekend. Of her five hits on the weekend, four were doubles. The graduate student from Hoover, Alabama, had two hits in each game of Saturday’s doubleheader, going 2-for-3 with an RBI double, an RBI single and a run scored in a 5-0 game-one win. She followed that up with another two-hit effort in game two, smashing a pair of two-run doubles in a 2-for-4 effort to lead Samford to an 8-4 win. Tedder helped the Bulldogs complete the sweep Sunday, going 1-for-2 with a double, a walk and a run scored as Samford won 4-1. For the week, Tedder totaled six RBIs and two runs scored and posted an on-base percentage of .600.
 
Newcomb picked up two of Samford’s three wins in the circle this weekend as Western Carolina hit just .139 against her. The freshman from Meridianville, Alabama, fashioned a 0.64 ERA over 11 innings of work, allowing just one earned run on five hits and two walks, striking out seven. Newcomb got the weekend off on the right foot for the Bulldogs by throwing a one-hit shutout in the series opener, also allowing just one walk in Saturday’s 5-0 win. Newcomb then picked up the win Sunday as Samford completed the sweep, allowing one run on four hits and a walk in four innings to improve to 15-7 on the year. Newcomb is second in the SoCon with a 1.50 ERA this season, including a sparkling 0.28 mark in league play.
 
Samford (21-14, 6-0 SoCon) returns to action Friday at Furman (13-21, 2-4) for a SoCon doubleheader starting at 1 p.m. ET, followed by Saturday’s series finale at noon.
 
Other nominees for player of the week: Diamond Williams (Mercer) and Grace Loftin (UNCG).
 
Other nominees for pitcher of the week: Hannah Pitts (Mercer) and Morgan Scott (UNCG).
 
2022 SoCon Softball Players of the Week
Feb. 14                   Timberlyn Shurbutt, Sr., 3B, Samford
Feb. 21                   Jordan Gontram, Gr., DP, UNCG
Feb. 28                   Blayke Batten, Jr., 1B/RF, UNCG
March 7                  Delaney Cumbie, Sr., C, UNCG
March 14                Mary Katherine Tedder, Gr., UT, Samford
March 21                Grace Loftin, Fr., LF, UNCG
March 28                Maycin Brown, Jr., 3B, UNCG
April 4                     Reagan Armour, So., DP, Chattanooga
April 11                   Mary Katherine Tedder, Gr., UT, Samford
 
2022 SoCon Softball Pitchers of the Week
Feb. 14                   Jayme Eilers, Jr., Western Carolina
Feb. 21                   Brooke Parrott, Jr., Chattanooga
Feb. 28                   Jordan Walters, So., Samford
March 7                  Sierra Tufts, So., Furman
March 14                Morgan Scott, Jr., UNCG
March 21                Hannah Wood, Jr., Chattanooga
March 28                Morgan Scott, Jr., UNCG
April 4                     Morgan Scott, Jr., UNCG
April 11                   McKenzie Newcomb, Fr., Samford