The Great American Conference announced the league’s Players of the Week for the final week of the 2016 softball regular season. Harding’s Alexus Lawellin took home her first Player of the Week award, while Southern Arkansas’ Kaylee Garner claimed hold of her second Pitcher of the Week award, the conference office announced on Monday.

GAC SOFTBALL PLAYERS OF THE WEEK (4/25/16)

By: Keith Kelley, GAC Communications

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 RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. – The Great American Conference announced the league’s Players of the Week for the final week of the 2016 softball regular season. Harding’s Alexus Lawellin took home her first Player of the Week award, while Southern Arkansas’ Kaylee Garner claimed hold of her second Pitcher of the Week award, the conference office announced on Monday.
 
GAC SOFTBALL PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Alexus Lawellin, Harding, SS, Fr. Batesville, Arkansas
Lawellin’s weekend-best .800 batting average helped Harding secure the No. 4-seed at the GAC Championships. The Batesville, Arkansas native batted 8-for-10, including going 3-for-3 with a pair of runs in a 9-1 win in game one against SWOSU. The freshman drove in five runs as well.
 
GAC SOFTBALL PITCHER OF THE WEEK – Kaylee Garner, Southern Arkansas, RHP, Jr., Danbury, Texas
Garner won a pair of games to increase her total to a conference-leading 21 wins. The Danbury, Texas native opened by tossing 6.0 innings of three-hit softball en route to SAU’s 5-2 win against ECU. Garner followed with a complete-game, three-hit shutout in the Lady Muleriders’ regular season finale.
 
PLAYER OF THE WEEK NOMINEES
- Laramie Beal, Sr., OF, Southeastern Oklahoma State (Batted 6-for-12 with four RBIs in split at UAM)
- Kasey Jo Burgess, So., LF, Oklahoma Baptist (Went 6-for-12 with two RBIs against the Reddies)
- Megan Goodnight, Fr., 1B, Arkansas Tech (Scored five runs; doubled and tripled against NWOSU)
- Darian Harris, Sr., 1B, Southern Arkansas (Slugged .833; led SAU to a series sweep against ECU)
- Hope Patterson, Fr., 1B, Henderson State (Recorded a 1.273 slug pct.; with three extra-base hits)
- Holly Wilmarth, Sr., CF, Arkansas-Monticello (Hit three home runs in series vs Southeastern)
 
PITCHER OF THE WEEK NOMINEES
- Sydnee Clark, Jr., RHP, Arkansas Tech (Gave up one run in a complete game outing against NWOSU)
- Emily Cudd, Fr., RHP, Southeastern Oklahoma State (Won twice; allowed four runs in 16.1 IP)
- Kelly Beth Ernest, Jr., RHP, Harding (Picked up her 10th save of the year, setting a GAC record)
- Amanda Patterson, So., RHP, Oklahoma Baptist (Tossed 6.1 IP scoreless innings in relief; earned a save)