SPARTANBURG, S.C. – UNCG designated player Jorde Chartrand and ETSU right-hander Brianna Bailey have been named the Southern Conference softball player and pitcher of the week, respectively, for games from May 1-7. The awards are selected by the league office.
Chartrand, who also received the honor on April 17, batted .417 for UNCG as the Spartans went 3-1 last week. After going hitless in a 3-0 setback against Charlotte on Tuesday, Chartrand went 2-for-3 with a double and four RBIs in a 6-2 victory over Western Carolina on Saturday in the first game of a doubleheader. In the second game, the Weyburn, Saskatchewan, Canada, native was 3-for-3 with a home run, double, three RBIs and a run scored as the Spartans won 8-0 to clinch the SoCon regular-season title. In Sunday’s series finale, Chartrand was hitless, but the sophomore threw two innings and struck out one batter in the team’s 6-0 victory.
ETSU’s Bailey had two starts for the Buccaneers last week, going 2-0 with a 0.74 ERA. The native of Wewahitchka, Florida, threw a complete game, striking out eight batters and surrendering two earned runs in ETSU’s 4-3 win over Mercer in 12 innings on Saturday. Bailey’s performance was the longest outing of any SoCon player this season. The redshirt junior came back the next day and pitched a complete-game shutout, tossing four strikeouts and allowing just five hits as the Buccaneers defeated the Bears 2-0 in the series finale.
UNCG (34-20, 13-4 SoCon) clinched its sixth straight regular-season crown this weekend and will be the No. 1 seed in the 2023 SoCon Softball Championship. The Spartans have a bye and will face the winner of No. 4 seed Western Carolina (20-24, 8-10) and No. 5 seed Mercer (18-35, 8-10) on Thursday, May 11, at 12:30 p.m. ETSU (15-35, 6-12), who is the No. 7 seed in the SoCon Championship, will play its first game of the tournament against No. 2 seed Samford (23-29, 12-6) on Wednesday, May 10, at 12:30 p.m.
Other nominees for player of the week: Riley Nayadley (ETSU), Kiley Perry (Furman), Grier Bruce (Samford) and Brooklynn Brewington (Western Carolina)
Other nominees for pitcher of the week: Katie Rearley (Mercer), Maddie Spell (UNCG), McKenzie Newcomb (Samford) and Taylor Norton (Western Carolina)
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
April 24 Brooklynn Brewington, Sr., OF, Western Carolina
May 1 Kaili Phillips, Jr., INF, Chattanooga
May 8 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
April 24 Lauralee Scott, So., Furman
May 1 Alyssa Lavdis, So., Chattanooga
May 8 Brianna Bailey, R-Sr., ETSU