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Jamie Southern
Fresno State |
DENVER Fresno States Jamie Southern was named the Western Athletic Conference Player and Pitcher of the Week. She is the first softball player to earn both player and pitcher honors in the same week. This is the first honor of the season for the senior who has earned both honors before, including pitcher of the week honors four times last season.
Southern, a senior from Clovis, Calif., helped the Bulldogs to a third place finish at the highly touted NFCA Leadoff Classic in Columbus, Ga. Southern was named MVP of the 10th NFCA Leadoff Classic, collecting 18 total bases for a 1.500 slugging percentage. She also hit four home runs in the first three games of the NFCA Leadoff Classic. Southern notched her fourth career multi-home run game against No. 10 LSU, leading the Bulldogs to a win. She also had three multiple-RBI games and two multiple-hit games, including a three-hit performance against Texas State and three RBI against the Tigers. With the four home runs last week, she became just the fifth Bulldog to post 20 or more career home runs as she currently ranks No. 5 in the schools career list with 22.
In the circle, Southern posted a 2-1 mark with a shutout and 26 strikeouts in 20.0 innings. She ended the rain-shortened tournament with a 0.70 ERA, scattering 13 hits and yielding four runs (two earned). She also walked two as opponents batted .176 against her. She then pitched the Bulldogs to a 5-2 victory over No. 10 LSU and struck out 10 for her 44th career 10-strikeout game as she improved to 3-0 on the season. The win over No. 10 LSU was Southerns 93rd career victory as she moved up to No. 3 all-time in the schools record books, while now being just seven victories shy of becoming the 40th NCAA Division I pitcher to reach the 100-win plateau.
Other player of the week nominees included: Jiliane Hartfiel, Nevada; Courtney Lewis, San Jose State and Sara Dyer, Tulsa.
Other pitcher of the week nominees included: Jordan McPherson, Nevada; Carol Forbes, San Jose State and Lindsey Dyer, Tulsa.