RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. – Southeastern Oklahoma State’s Jessica Simmons and Southern Arkansas’ Shelby Miller garnered the Great American Conference Softball Player and Pitcher of the Week awards for the seventh week of the 2014 season, the conference office announced on Tuesday.
GAC SOFTBALL PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Jessica Simmons, Southeastern Oklahoma State, 2B, So., Bethel, Okla.
Simmons turned in a virtuoso performance from the leadoff position in leading the Savage Storm to a four-game sweep of Southern Nazarene. She went 6-for-9 with four walks for a .769 on-base percentage. She stole seven bases, scored eight times and drove in four runs. She hit a game-winning home run in the last of the seventh inning in the second game of the series.
GAC SOFTBALL PITCHER OF THE WEEK – Shelby Miller, Southern Arkansas, RHP, Fr., Brazoria, Texas
Miller dominated in the circle for the Lady Muleriders in their series sweep against Harding as she went 2-0 with a save and a 0.88 ERA. She limited the Lady Bisons to a .190 average against her. She did not allow an extra-base hit and also notched 14 strikeouts (with a season-high seven coming in her second start). In relief, she allowed only two hits over 3.0 innings.
NOTABLE PLAYER OF THE WEEK NOMINEES
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Maddie Dow, DP, Fr., Southern Arkansas (Hit .429 with a home run, two doubles and eight RBI in sweep of Harding)
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Beth Johnson, CF, Sr., Arkansas-Monticello (Led Cotton Blossoms to three wins vs ATU; hit .500 with five runs scored)
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Ashley Keen, C, Sr., Arkansas Tech (Slugged four home runs and drove in eight runs against Arkansas-Monticello)
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Lindsay Thorstenson, CF, Jr., Northwestern Oklahoma State (Scored nine runs and drove in eight over six games)
NOTABLE PITCHER OF THE WEEK NOMINEES
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Kellie Mason, RHP, Sr., Northwestern Oklahoma State (Went 2-1 with 16 strikeouts over 17.0 innings pitched)
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Mindy McElroy, RHP, Sr., Southeastern Oklahoma State (Earned two wins and a save; did not allow an earned run over 14.0 IP)
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Cagen Medlock, RHP, Sr., Henderson State (Won twice as Lady Reddies swept SWOSU; extended personal win streak to four)