Monday, April 19, 2010

MACON, Ga. – Kennesaw State’s Ashlee Burkett collected her second A-Sun Softball Player of the Week award and second on the season after a terrific week at the plate for the Owls, batting .600 (9-15) with two home runs and eight RBIs over five games, while USC Upstate’s Morgan Childers tallied her sixth career A-Sun Softball Pitcher of the Week honor and second on the season in another stellar week, going 5-0 in six appearances for the Spartans.

Burkett recorded at least one hit in all five games, and improved as the week went on, culminating in a 3-for-3 performance in game two of Kennesaw State's doubleheader with ETSU Sunday. The performance included a home run in the top of the seventh to cap-off the Owls’ comeback from a 4-1 deficit to win the game, 5-4, and complete the doubleheader sweep against the Bucs. The freshman, from Warner Robins, Ga., also scored six runs and walked four times during the week, bringing her on-base percentage to a staggering .684.

Childers picked up the wins in the sweep of Charlotte, ranked No. 66 in RPI, tossing 11 strikeouts in 10 innings of work against the 49ers. The Kings Mountain, N.C. native also tossed a two-hit shutout of South Carolina, striking out seven, and later in the week went the distance with 12 strikeouts in a 2-1 win against A-Sun foe Kennesaw State, as she allowed just three hits.

Childers also pitched 14 innings in the split with Mercer and tossed a one-hitter, taking a no-hitter into the seventh inning in the 2-0 win and struck out nine. The junior hurler came back to start the second game and tossed seven innings, striking out nine. Childers did not get a decision in the game as it went to extra inning. The secondary education major overtook UNF's Devyn Findley on the A-Sun's all-time strikeouts list and moving past Brianne Mertens for second all-time. Childers also moved into fourth all-time with 28 shutouts.

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The Atlantic Sun Conference is an 11-member league committed to Building Winners for Life. The A-Sun stands for achievement with integrity in both the academic and athletic arenas, with a focus on the balance between the two for our student-athletes. Headquartered in Macon, Ga., the A-Sun boasts six of the top eight media markets in the Southeast. The A-Sun includes a blend of the most prestigious and dynamic private and public institutions in the region: Belmont University, Campbell University, East Tennessee State University, Florida Gulf Coast University, Jacksonville University, Kennesaw State University, Lipscomb University, Mercer University, University of North Florida, University of South Carolina Upstate and Stetson University.

Other Top Performers
Cheniece Cason, ETSU (Sr. - SS - Moreno Valley, Calif. - Education) – Cason helped guide ETSU to a sweep against Mercer this weekend. The senior shortstop, who hit safely in three of the four games, went 5-for-12 with a double, three runs scored and drove in the game-winning run in the 5-4 comeback victory versus the Bears Friday. Cason’s one-out sac-fly RBI brought home pinch runner Tara Hartnett from third – giving the Lady Bucs a walk-off win in game one. The Moreno Valley, Calif. native scored runs in three of the four games this weekend and went 3-for-4 with a double against Kennesaw State in game two Saturday.

Katie Hinton, Campbell (Jr. - OF - College Station, Texas. - Kinesiology) – Hinton led Campbell to three wins on the week with a .421 batting average and eight hits. The junior outfielder also scored four runs and drove in three, in addition to 10 total bases. Hinton recorded a .500 on-base percentage and a slugging percentage of .526. The College Station, Texas native posted hits in five of the Lady Camels’ six games and multi-hit performances in three games on the week, Hinton also picked up a pair of outfield assists and threw runners out at home from center field each time. The kinesiology major had the game winning two-run triple against Jacksonville Saturday and scored the game winner in both games against UNF Friday.

Ashley Iveson, Jacksonville (Sr. - P - Kissimmee, Fla. - Sports Administration) – Iveson fanned 20 batters and scattered six hits in two complete-game shutouts to lead Jacksonville to victories against Bethune-Cookman and Campbell. In her final home start Wednesday, the senior hurler struck out 12 batters, one shy of her career high, and allowed two hits against the Lady Wildcats to get her fifth shutout of the season. Iveson’s 12 strikeouts mark the fifth time this year she has struck out 10 or more batters, which tied the school record set by Katie Dobson in 2003. Against Campbell, the Kissimmee, Fla. native allowed four hits and struck out eight batters. Iveson also retired the final 12 batters in a row to secure her 15th victory, also tying the program mark set by Dobson in 2005.

Whitney Kiihnl, Lipscomb (So. - P - Batesville, Miss - Biology.) – Kiihnl recorded two wins and a save on the week, upping her record to 24-2 overall and 8-0 in the A-Sun. The sophomore pitcher allowed only one hit against Stetson while recording 10 strikeouts. Kiihnl returned in game two versus the Hatters to pick up the save, throwing three scoreless and hitless innings with 5 Ks and allowed only three hits against the FGCU Eagles while recording a season-high 17 Ks, one short of her career high of 18. For the week, the Batesville, Miss. native allowed only four hits over 17 innings while striking out 32. Kiihnl entered the week leading the nation in ERA (0.66) and lowered it this week to 0.63.

Lauran Ziegler, FGCU (Sr. - LF - Palm Bay, Fla. - Public Relations) – Ziegler led FGCU to a 2-2 record this past week, including a doubleheader sweep at Belmont. The senior went 3-for-6 combined in the wins against the Bruins, including her second home run of the season. For the week, the Palm Bay, Fla. native batted .417, scored three times and drove in four runs. The public relations major also drew three walks, accumulating an on-base percentage of .533, stole three bases and slugged .667.