Player of the Week
Bianka Bell • LSU
Junior • IF • Tampa, Fla.
Bell led all LSU players with 10 hits as the Tigers earned a series win over the Florida Gators for the first time since 2006, driving in eight on 14 at-bats with a 1.000 slugging percentage and .714 on-base percentage. The junior and Florida native reached base safely with hits in each of her first six at-bats over games one and two, extending a streak that stretched back to last weekend to 10 games. Bell earned the first four-hit game of her career amid three multi-hit outings, driving in five RBIs on Sunday in the finale, which was also a career high among two multi-RBI contests. On Sunday with LSU and Florida tied at 3-3, she hit the go-ahead home run on a three run shot to put LSU up, and drove two more in on a two-RBI double later that game.
Pitcher of the Week
Nickie Blue • South Carolina
Sophomore • RHP • Longmont, Colo.
Blue pitched two complete-game wins on the week, including a four-hit shutout of No. 9/15 Tennessee. She limited the Lady Vols to 11 hits in 14.1 innings and one earned run, posting a 0.49 ERA on the weekend. Her only start against No. 9/15 Tennessee was the six-inning shutout Friday where she scattered four hits and three walks. In her relief appearance Sunday, Blue fanned five and walked only one in 3.1 innings of work. With her win in relief on Saturday, she clinched the Gamecocks’ first series win over Tennessee since 2002. That win also marks the first series win over a top-10 ranked team in Beverly Smith’s tenure at South Carolina. She also tossed a complete game in the Western Kentucky win, limiting the Lady Toppers to four hits, two walks and an unearned run.
Freshman of the Week
Demi Turner • Alabama
IF • Huntsville, Texas
Turner had three multi-hit games over the weekend series at #8 Georgia, driving in at least one run in each game as well. She went 2-5 in game one, with a single down the third-base line in the top of the 7th that scored one to tie the game at 4-4 and her solo home run in the 9th that put the Tide ahead in the eventual 7-4 victory. Turner also swiped two bases in the series opener, marking the second time in conference play she has stolen two bases in a single game. She tallied two hits in the second game of the weekend, including a fifth-inning RBI single. Turner capped the weekend with a 3-4 performance in Sunday’s rubber match, earning a hit in each of her first three at-bats.
