Big South Announces Softball Players of the Week - Feb. 11

Big South Announces Softball Players of the Week - Feb. 11

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CHARLOTTE, N.C. (www.BigSouthSports.com) – Gardner-Webb infielder Ella Christopher (Longwood, Fla.) has been named the Big South Softball Player of the Week, while Radford's Morgan Cooper (Man, W.Va.) and Winthrop's Megan Powell (Eden, N.C.) have been named Co-Pitchers of the Week for the opening weekend of the 2025 regular season, it was announced today. In addition, USC Upstate's Sophia Kardatzke (Jacksonville, Fla.) has been named the Big South Freshman of the Week. 

Christopher hit .769 (10-13) with three runs, eight RBI, three doubles and a walk-off grand slam to help the Runnin’ Bulldogs to a 3-1 opening weekend. She added one walk and one steal. The junior infielder had three multi-hit games and at least one hit in all four contests, highlighted by a 4-4 performance with five RBIs and a double to go along with her walk-off grand slam against Drexel. Christopher had a double and an RBI in the season opener against West Georgia before adding another two hits in the second leg of the doubleheader. She capped off the weekend with a 3-3 day in a second game against Drexel, registering another double and two RBI. 
 
Cooper twirled two complete games against No. 20 Liberty and Louisville, giving up only two earned runs and picking up a win over the Cardinals. She combined for 13.0 innings pitched while fanning five and allowing only three extra-base hits (all doubles). In her first appearance, Cooper limited a nationally-ranked Liberty team to seven hits and just one earned run with three strikeouts over 6.0 innings. She then pitched 7.0 innings while allowing just six hits and one earned run against Louisville, striking out two and earning Radford’s second win over a Power Conference opponent in the last six seasons.
 
Powell picked up two wins while allowing only three hits and no earned runs over 10.0 innings for Winthrop. She fanned 13 batters in total. The senior twirled a complete-game, two-hit shutout with eight strikeouts in the season opener, a 4-1 victory over Portland State. She then went 3.0 innings with one hit allowed and five strikeouts en route to earning her second win of the weekend in a 9-0 win against UC San Diego.

Kardatzke hit .429 (6-14) with five runs, three RBI, two walks, two doubles and a stolen base to help lift USC Upstate to a 4-1 weekend. She also pitched two complete games, earning a win in her debut in the circle while striking out 10 against Bowling Green. At the plate, Kardatzke tallied at least one hit in all five games, including her first-career multi-hit performance with a double and two RBI in the same game she earned her first win. She also doubled in the season opener against Akron. The Jacksonville, Fla. native totaled 13.0 innings in the circle, including 7.0 innings against Akron, yielding just four hits and striking out three.

Also nominated for Player of the Week: Carsten Sandvig (Charleston Southern), Sophia Knock (Longwood), Mallory Fletcher (Presbyterian), Isabel Harrison (Radford), Abigail Pippen (USC Upstate) and Tia Beckham (Winthrop).

Also nominated for Pitcher of the Week: Morgan Strickland (Longwood) and Maddie Drerup (USC Upstate).

Also nominated for Freshman of the Week: Lauren Spainhower (Gardner-Webb), Brooke Bennett (Longwood), Baxleigh Arnette (Presbyterian), Dakota Redmon (Radford) and Madelyn Miller (Winthrop).