Monday, February 14, 2011

MACON, Ga. – USC Upstate’s starting hurler Morgan Childers started the 2011 season the best way possible by tossing her fifth career no-hitter in an 8-0 blowout of Charleston Southern. Childers fanned 14 batters in that game and 40 over the weekend to pick up her eighth career Atlantic Sun Pitcher of the Week award. Katie Zauner saved her heroics for the final game of the weekend as her two-run homer in the top of the fifth inning gave the Spartans the lead for good against the South Carolina Gamecocks.

PLAYER OF THE WEEK:
Katie Zauner, USC Upstate (Outfield – Sr. – Canby, Ohio – Interdisciplinary Studies)
• First A-Sun Player of the Week award
• Batted .571 for the Spartans en route to a 4-0 opening weekend of play
• Recorded eight hits, drove in seven runs and tallied four extra-base hits
• Knocked game-winning homer against South Carolina on Sunday to give Spartans 3-2 win
• Crossed the plate seven times, while recording perfect fielding percentage

OTHER NOMINEES:
• Lizzie Goldbach (OF, Campbell) – Earned Tournament MVP honors by batting .500 and driving in five runs
• Sharon Swanson (OF, Kennesaw State) – Recorded 10 RBI to lead Owls to a perfect 4-0 start at Southern Miss Tournament
• Ashley Byers (1B, Belmont) – Hit four home runs in the opening weekend and drove in nine runs for the Bruins
• Sara Stukes (SS, Mercer) – Went 5-for-11 on the weekend with three RBI and 10 total bases
• Jessica Barnes (RF, FGCU) – Tallied four hits and three RBI for the Eagles in opening weekend

PITCHER OF THE WEEK:
Morgan Childers, USC Upstate (Pitcher – Sr. – Kings Mountain, N.C. – Secondary Education)
• Eighth Career A-Sun Pitcher of the Week
• Opened the season with a no-hitter against Charleston Southern; her fifth career no-hitter
• Recorded three wins on opening weekend with two shutouts and only allowed two runs
• Topped the 1,000-strikeout mark for her career by fanning 40 batters in three games
• Led the Spartans to a 3-2 victory against South Carolina on Sunday

OTHER NOMINEES:
• Brittany Arnn (So., Campbell) – Won two games at Hampton Inn Tournament including the championship game against SIU-Edwardsville
• Jessica Cross (Jr., Kennesaw State) – Picked up two wins at Southern Miss Tournament and a save to help Owls to a 4-0 start
• Sarah Sigrest (Jr., Jacksonville) – Failed to allow an earned run in 8.1 innings of work; pitched complete game against Buffalo
• Catherine McDaniel (Sr., FGCU) – Went 1-1 on the weekend including a four-strikeout outing against Marshall