SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Mercer utility player Diamond Williams and Samford right-handed pitcher McKenzie Newcomb have been named the Southern Conference softball player and pitcher of the week, respectively, for games from April 25 to May 1. The awards are selected by the league office.
 
Williams hit .375 and slugged .813 as the Bears went 2-3 on the week with a conference series win over Chattanooga. In a doubleheader loss against Georgia Southern on Tuesday, Williams had a hit in each contest, including a solo home run in game two. The junior from Grovetown, Georgia, reached base three times in Saturday’s series-opening 6-3 loss to the Mocs, hitting a three-run homer in the first inning, walking in the third and being hit by a pitch in the seventh. In game two, a 6-3 Mercer win, Williams had another three RBIs, stroking a two-run double in the third and an RBI single in the seventh. In Sunday’s series finale, Williams singled and walked as Mercer claimed a 4-3 win. For the week, she hit safely in all five contests and drove in seven runs, scoring three. She walked twice and had an on-base percentage of .474.
 
Newcomb picked up Samford’s fourth straight weekly pitching honor and her third in four weeks after going 2-0 with a 0.75 ERA in the Bulldogs’ series sweep of ETSU over the weekend. The freshman from Meridianville, Alabama, threw a complete game in Saturday’s first game, a 3-1 win, allowing just one run on seven hits and a walk, striking out nine. In the second game, a 7-3 win, Newcomb earned the win with 2 1/3 innings of one-hit scoreless relief, adding another strikeout to her weekly total. All told, she struck out 10 in two appearances over 9 1/3 innings. Newcomb improved to 20-7 on the season and lowered her league-best ERA to 1.48.
 
Mercer (15-36, 7-11 SoCon), which wrapped up league play against the Mocs, heads to Gainesville, Florida, to close out the regular season, facing Florida Gulf Coast and No. 9 Florida on Friday and Saturday. Samford (30-15, 14-1) hosts UNCG (35-14, 14-1) with the SoCon regular-season title on the line this weekend.
 
Other nominees for player of the week: Makenna Matthijs (UNCG) and McKayla Cothran (Samford).
 
Other nominees for pitcher of the week: Hannah Pitts (Mercer) and Reese Byrd (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
April 18                   Myra Twitty, Sr., 1B, Western Carolina
April 25                   Emily Bartlett, Sr., 1B, Furman
May 2                     Diamond Williams, Jr., UT, Mercer
 
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
April 18                   Jordyn Partain, Fr., Samford
April 25                   McKenzie Newcomb, Fr., Samford
May 2                     McKenzie Newcomb, Fr., Samford