Date Posted: 2/11/2008

MACON, Ga. - Kennesaw State’s Brittany Matthews, the preseason Pitcher of the Year choice by the A-Sun coaches made their selection look ingenious as she opened the 2008 campaign with a dominating performance on the mound. In three appearances, the picked up three wins, fanned 34 hitters and posted a 0.45 ERA. On Monday, she earned her fifth career Atlantic Sun Pitcher of the Week award. On the offensive side, Lipscomb’s Abby Keese hit .500 for the week and hit three home runs in 12 at bats as the Bisons opened the season at Georgia State First Pitch Classic to earn the conference’s Player of the Week award, her second career award.

Matthews, a senior professional sales major from Brooks, Ga., posted a 3-0 record with two complete games while allowing just one earned run in 15.2 innings pitched. Matthews struck out 34 for the week, including setting the school single-game record with 18 against Georgetown. In that game she passed Lisa Macki’s career strikeout total of 613 to set the Kennesaw State career record. After striking out just three against Tennessee Tech, Matthews once again struck out double digits, recording 13 strikeouts in the Owls win over Middle Tennessee State en route to being the Kennesaw State Classic champions. Her career strikeout total sits at 640.

Keese, Lipscomb’s sophomore shortstop hit home runs in three of the Bisons’ four games last week. Keese, a Denver native, played a key role in their upset of No. 17 Georgia Tech. She went 3-for-3 at the plate and delivered the game-winning, three-run home run in the sixth inning. She finished with four RBI in the contest. As a freshman last season, she finished in a tie for third in the conference with 14 home runs and earned a spot on the All-Freshman team

The Atlantic Sun Conference is a 12-member league committed to Building Winners for Life, with a focus on academic and athletic integrity and a balance between the two for the student-athlete, and maintaining a high level of sportsmanship. Headquartered in Macon, Ga., the A-Sun encompasses six of the top eight media markets in the Southeast. The A-Sun consists of some of the most dynamic private and public institutions in the region: Belmont University, Campbell University, East Tennessee State University, Florida Gulf Coast University, Gardner-Webb 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

Devyn Findley, UNF (So. – P – Gainesville, Fla. – Community Health) – Went 2-1 with 25 strikeouts and a 1.67 ERA; Defeated UMass and South Carolina, both were receiving votes in the NFCA poll; Carried a no-hitter into the 7th inning against South Carolina; Led UNF to first win vs an SEC opponent.

Amanda Lindsey, STET (So. – P – Byhalia, Miss. – Biology) – Allowed just one earned run in 20.2 innings of work this weekend; Recorded a 2-1 record with a 0.34 ERA and 16 strikeouts. Lindsey also helped her own cause at the plate, batting .412 (7-17) with a home run and a team-leading seven RBI.

Jillian Mirante, JU (Sr. – OF – Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. – Management) – Served as catalyst for the Dolphins two wins this weekend; Hit 9-19 (.474) in the six games. The Dolphins career leader in stolen bases, Mirante went 5-5 in the tournament.

Lindsay Wightman, STET (Sr. – SS – Surrey, B.C., Canada – Biology) – Batted .647 for the weekend at the Stetson Lead-Off Classic; Collected three doubles, a home run and four RBI; Her home run on Friday against Marist made her the third player in program history to reach 100 career RBI.

Related Links:
 • A-Sun Softball