Date Posted: 3/24/2008

MACON, Ga. - Gwen Williams was a force to be reckoned with this week, taking extra bases on six of her 10 hits in leading the Ospreys to a 5-0 record. The senior second baseman made big play after big play, hitting a grand slam and a walk-off shot to highlight her first Atlantic Sun Player of the Week selection of 2008. Inside the circle, Mercer's Jenni Holtz dealt a no-hitter against Harvard to earn the title of Atlantic Sun Pitcher of the Week, the conference office announced Monday.

Williams led a scorching Osprey offense that outscored opponents 47-15 and hit .381 on the week. The health science student from Jacksonville, Fla. hit .556 and slugged 1.111. She drove in 13 runs, plated two doubles and cranked two home runs. Her performance in UNF’s nightcap against Rider on Saturday best exemplified her efforts during the week. In that game, Williams tortured the Broncos' pitching staff by going 4-4 with three doubles and five RBI. She finished the performance in style by hitting the game-winning, three-run home run in the bottom of the seventh to propel the Ospreys to an 8-6 win. The Rider game marked her second five-RBI outburst of the week, as she tallied the same number in a 10-1 romp of Belmont two days earlier. Four of those runs came courtesy of a grand slam, part of a seven-run fourth inning for the Ospreys.

A freshman from Tracy, Calif., Holtz notched a pair of victories to lead the Bears to the title at their own Mercer Easter Classic. In her first appearance, Holtz went six innings, allowed no runs and struck out a season-high 14 as part of a 5-4 victory over Birmingham Southern. She saved her best stuff for the championship match-up with Harvard, however. Holtz held the Crimson hitless in the second tussle of the day between the two squads, a 2-0, eight-inning Mercer victory. She struck out seven in the contest, allowing Mercer to restitute a 3-2 loss at the hands of their Ivy League opponent earlier in the afternoon and capture the tournament crown in the process. For her efforts, Holtz earned a place on the all-tournament 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

Morgan Childers, UPST (Fr. - P - Kings Mountain, N.C. - Education) - In the only action of the week for Upstate, Childers made two appearances in the A-Sun doubleheader with Kennesaw State on Friday. In the marquee pitching match-up, she battled Brittany Matthews in game one, going the distance with 15 strikeouts to earn the 2-1 win.

Jessica Paez, FGCU (Jr. - SS - Belle Glade, Fla. - Health and Science) - Paez led Florida Gulf Coast to a 3-1 record for the week, including a series sweep of A-Sun foe, Campbell. She hit .417 with three home runs, eight RBI, and five runs scored. She slugged 1.333.

Marissa Hardy, ETSU (So. - P/INF - Rocklin, Calif. - Interdisciplinary Studies) - Hardy did it for the Softball Bucs at the plate and in the circle this week. She hit .545 (6-of-11) with a home run, two doubles and four RBI at the plate and, as a pitcher, went 2-0 with 17 strikeouts and a 2.00 ERA.

Karlie Love, CAM (Jr. - 1B - Mt. Airy, N.C. - Government) - Love compiled nine RBI during the week while posting a .500 batting average. She pounced two home runs, stroked one double, and was walked six times for an on-base percentage of .682.

Brittany Stanley, CAM (So. - P - West Lafayette, Ind. - Business) - With a 2-1 mark on the week, Stanley led the Camels with 21 strikeouts, two complete games and one shutout in 22.1 innings of work. She posted an ERA of 3.45 and held opponents to a .212 batting average.

Related Links:
 • A-Sun Softball