SPARTANBURG, S.C. – UNCG designated player Jorde Chartrand and Mercer right-hander Grace Taylor have been named the Southern Conference softball player and pitcher of the week, respectively, for games from April 10-16. The awards are selected by the league office.
UNCG’s Chartrand batted .438, had an on-base percentage of .500 and slugged .875 in five games last week as the Spartans went 3-2. On Wednesday in a doubleheader at Radford, Chartrand went 2-for-4 in each game as UNCG won game one, 8-2, before dropping game two 5-4. The Weyburn, Saskatchewan, Canada, native’s two hits in game one were both two-run home runs, one coming in the second inning and the other was in the seventh, accounting for four RBIs. In game two, Chartrand had an RBI single in the first inning and another single in the fifth. On Saturday, the sophomore went 1-for-3 with a walk and an RBI as UNCG won, 4-3, over Samford in eight innings in game one of the two teams’ doubleheader. Chartrand did not get a hit in game two but did reach base twice, once after being hit by a pitch in the sixth inning and the other on an error in the eighth inning in the Spartans’ 1-0 victory. In the series finale on Sunday, Chartrand went 2-for-3 with a double in a 4-2 setback for UNCG.
UNCG (26-17, 5-3 SoCon) travels to 13th-ranked Duke for a midweek game on Wednesday, April 19, before going to Chattanooga (21-18, 4-5) for a weekend series that begins on Saturday, April 22.
Mercer’s Taylor pitched two complete games for the Bears last week. The native of Debary, Florida, threw seven innings in the squad’s 5-1 win over Furman on Saturday, allowing one earned run and striking out one batter. The next day, the freshman tossed nine innings and had one strikeout while allowing one earned run in Mercer’s 4-3 extra-inning victory over the Paladins. Taylor threw 81 pitches on Saturday before tossing a season-high 115 pitches on Sunday en route to her two wins for the week.
Mercer (14-27, 5-4) goes to Georgia Southern for a midweek doubleheader on Wednesday, April 19, and will host Western Carolina (13-19, 3-6) for a weekend series beginning on Saturday, April 22.
Other nominees for player of the week: Cameron Young (ETSU), Paris Wiggs (Mercer), Lindsey Nelson (Samford) and Kaili Phillips (Chattanooga)
Other nominees for pitcher of the week: Brianna Bailey (ETSU), Lauralee Scott (Furman), Ryann Jones (UNCG), Jordyn Partain (Samford) and Brooke Parrott (Chattanooga)
2023 SoCon Softball Players of the Week
Feb. 13 Delaney Cumbie, 5th, C, UNCG
Feb. 20 Riley Ludlam, Sr., C, Furman
Feb. 27 Sara Muir, So., P/1B, ETSU
March 6 Delaney Cumbie, 5th, C, UNCG
March 13 Brooklynn Brewington, Sr., OF, Western Carolina
March 20 Kaili Phillips, Jr., INF, Chattanooga
March 27 Hannah Poole, Jr., 2B, Furman
April 3 Bailey Huneycutt, 5th, INF, Western Carolina
April 10 Alex Rose Molinar, SS, Jr., Furman
April 17 Jorde Chartrand, DP, So., UNCG
2023 SoCon Softball Pitchers of the Week
Feb. 13 Tessa Juett, So., Western Carolina
Feb. 20 Maddie Spell, R-So., UNCG
Feb. 27 McKenzie Newcomb, So., Samford
March 6 Alyssa Lavdis, So., Chattanooga
March 13 Peja Goold, Fr., Chattanooga
March 20 Rhyann Jones, Fr., UNCG
March 27 McKenzie Newcomb, So., Samford
April 3 Maddie Spell, R-So., UNCG
April 10 Jordyn Partain, So., Samford
April 17 Grace Taylor, Fr., Mercer