Gomez, Stern Named SoCon Softball Player and Pitcher of the Week

SPARTANBURG, SC -- The Southern Conference today named its Softball Player and Pitcher of the Week for March 31. UNC Greensboro outfielder Joni Gomez has earned the Player of the Week award while College of Charleston sophomore Rachel Stern has been named the Pitcher of the Week.

A junior from Hope Mills, NC, Gomez led the Spartans for the week with a .579 batting average and 11 runs batted in. She delivered a one-run walk off single in the bottom of the seventh inning in game one of a doubleheader against Charlotte on April 3 to give the Spartans a 5-4 win. In game two of the Charlotte doubleheader, Gomez blasted a three-run home run to propel UNC Greensboro to a 6-4 win. She then went 6-for-8 in the three-game series with Appalachian State on April 5 and 6 with two home runs, six RBIs, and five runs scored. For the season, Gomez is batting .346 which ranks third-best on for the Spartans. She is also tied for second on the team in home runs (6) and tied for third in runs batted in (19).

Stern, a sophomore from Virginia Beach, VA, pitched a solid 21 innings for three complete games this week in wins over Winthrop on April 2 and conference foe Georgia Southern on April 5 and 6. In the three games, Stern carried a 0.33 ERA. On the season, Stern sports a 0.96 ERA in 123.2 innings. She carries a 17-1 record and has won her last 12 straight.