Big South Announces Softball Players of the Week - April 6

Big South Announces Softball Players of the Week - April 6

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CHARLOTTE, N.C. (www.BigSouthSports.com) –- USC Upstate outfielder Sophia Kardatzke (Jacksonville, Fla.) has been named the Big South Softball Player of the Week, while Radford’s Morgan Cooper (Man, W.Va.) is the Pitcher of the Week honoree for games played March 30-April 5, it was announced today.  In addition, Presbyterian infielder Hali Duke (Bremen, Ga.) is the Freshman of the Week recipient.
 
Kardatzke hit .857 (6-7) while adding three RBI including a walk-off RBI single in game two against Gardner-Webb to clinch the series over the Runnin' Bulldogs. Kardatzke went 3-for-3 in game one and followed with her lone hit that helped pushed the Spartans ahead. In Game Three, Kardatzke was the bright spot going 2-for-2 in game three. Kardatzke batted .857 through three games, added a 1.000 slugging percentage and a .818 on base percentage.

Cooper pitched in a pair of tight outings for the Highlanders this week and was excellent allowing just two runs in 15 innings of work for a pair of wins. In her first outing against ETSU, she left the game-winning run on third in the sixth and seventh innings to force extras before once again leaving the tying run in scoring position in the eighth to seal the 3-2 victory. Cooper then went on to help Radford seal a series win over Charleston Southern with seven innings of shutout work allowing just one hit in a tight 1-0 victory.
 
Duke led the team in four games this week with a .600 average (six-of-ten), while also drawing four walks and a stolen base. She submitted her second three-hit performance of the year in Game 1 against Longwood and is currently on an 18-game hitting streak. Duke delivered four RBI in the Longwood series and also logged five putouts.
 
Also nominated for Player of the Week: Reese Collier (Gardner-Webb), Ava Abromavage (Longwood), Dakota Redmon (Radford) and Tia Beckham (Winthrop).
 
Also nominated for Pitcher of the Week: Allie Stidham (Gardner-Webb), Maggie Chapin (Longwood), Peyton Duncan (Presbyterian), Ashlyn Brown (USC Upstate) and Lonna Addison (Winthrop).
 
Also nominated for Freshman of the Week: Ava Abromavage (Longwood), Peyton Simmons (Radford) and Laila Landrum (Winthrop).