RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. – Arkansas-Monticello senior pitcher and first baseman Kayla Jackson (pictured) has been named the Great American Conference Softball Player and Pitcher of the Week for her efforts during a 4-2 week for the first place Cotton Blossoms.
The Hallsville, Texas native earned player of the week honors after going 10-for-18 at the plate throughout the week with six runs batted in, five runs scored, two homeruns and three walks. Out of six starts, Jackson collected four multi-hit games and had two games with two RBI.
She started the week with a 2-for-4, two RBI performance in a 8-0, 6-inning non-conference victory over Delta State at home last Tuesday in the first half of a double-header, followed by a 1-for-3 outing with one RBI and one run scored in a 5-4, 8-inning win over the Lady Statesmen later that day.
Over the weekend, Jackson collected three two-hit games in a four-game series split on the road against Southeastern Oklahoma State. She had homeruns in back-to-back games on Saturday, and turned in her best performance in the series opener. She went 2-for-3 in that game with a homerun, two RBI and one run scored.
In the circle, Jackson was the pitcher of record in all six of UAM’s contest over the past week, including two complete-game shutouts – the first coming in the 8-0 win over Delta State last Tuesday and the second coming in the 4-0 series finale victory over Southeastern Oklahoma State this past Sunday.
Jackson earned wins in relief in the 5-4 win over Delta State and the 4-3 win over Southeastern on Saturday.
She tossed a total of 33.1 innings throughout the week, allowed just four runs off 17 hits while walking two and striking out 18 of the batters she faced. Her weekly earned run average was 0.84.
Overall this season, Jackson is hitting .397 at the plate and sports a 23-6 record in the circle with a 1.32 ERA. These weekly awards continue Jackson’s current streak of being honored by the GAC. She was named the league’s pitcher of the week last Tuesday, and was named the player of the week on April 3.
NOTABLE NOMINEES
1 – Macie Tillery, FR, C, Southern Arkansas (8-for-24, 10 RBI, 5 runs scored, 2 doubles, 3 homeruns in a 3-5 week)
1 – Katey Gorsage, JR, OF, Henderson State (4-for-12, 6 RBI, 4 runs, 2 doubles, 1 homerun in a 4-0 week)
1 – Siarra Gomex, FR, 1B, Arkansas Tech (3-for-5, 1 RBI, 1 run, 1 double in a 1-1 week)
1 – Cami Correa, SR, C/DP, East Central (7-for-15, 7 RBI, 5 runs, 3 doubles, 2 homeruns in a 2-2 week)
2 – Audra Rhudy, SR, P, SE Oklahoma State (2-1 week, 17 innings, 14 hits, 5 runs, 3 walks, 13 strikeouts)
2 – Kasey Carlock, JR, P, Henderson State (2-0 week, 2 complete games, 7 hits, 2 runs, 1 walk, 4 strikeouts)
2 – Victoria Huie, FR, P/DP, Arkansas Tech (1-0 weekly record, 10 innings, 5 hits, 1 run, 4 walks, 7 strikeouts)
(1 – nominated for player of the week. 2 – nominated for pitcher of the week.)