BASEBALL: Trevecca’s Lopez, Tennessee’s Stallings honored with TSWA weekly accolades
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Trevecca University’s Javier Lopez and Tennessee’s Garrett Stallings were named the Player and Pitcher of the Week, respectively, by the Tennessee Sports Writers Association for their efforts in contests from April 8-14.
Lopez batted .556 (10-for-18) with two home runs, 11 RBIs and 10 runs scored in five games for the Trojans. The Lawrenceville, Ga., native posted four hits with a triple, five RBIs and three runs scored in a mid-week contest, including a bases-clearing triple and a pair of RBI singles.
The senior outfielder singled, was hit and scored three runs in the first of a four-game series against Davis & Elkins. He walked three times, drove in two runs and scored twice in the second game of the series.
Lopez doubled, homered, drove in three runs and scored twice in the third contest versus the Senators and finished the weekend with another homer among two hits and two runs scored in the final game of the set.
He is batting .361 with eight doubles, two triples, six home runs, 32 RBIs and 35 runs scored in 36 games this season.
Stallings tossed a complete-game shutout against second-ranked Georgia, giving up just five hits with five strikeouts. He walked one and did not allow a runner to reach third in the series-clinching 3-0 victory for the Vols.
The junior righthander worked around a single and walk in the fourth inning and induced a pair of ground ball doubleplays to end the second and seventh innings. He faced just four batters over the minimum in his first career complete game. Stallings improved to 6-2 with a 1.88 ERA and 64 strikeouts in 62.1 innings over nine starts this season.
It marks the first complete game this season for a Tennessee pitcher and the first series win over a Top-5 ranked team for the Vols since 2016.
2019 TSWA BASEBALL PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
February 19 – Lake Burris, Bryan College (Player); Trey Holland, University of the South (Pitcher)
March 1 – JJ Bleday, Vanderbilt (Player); Peyton Wigginton, Middle Tennessee (Pitcher)
March 6 – Aaron Antonini, Middle Tennessee (Player); Chase Douglas, Trevecca University (Pitcher)
March 13 – Ethan Paul, Vanderbilt (Player); Samuel Joiner, Maryville College (Pitcher)
March 21 – Javier Lopez, Trevecca University (Player); Charles Hall, Tusculum University (Pitcher)
March 26 – Stephen Scott, Vanderbilt (Player); Drake Fellows, Vanderbilt (Pitcher)
April 3 – JJ Bleday, Vanderbilt (Player); Mason Hickman, Vanderbilt (Pitcher)
April 9 – Myles Christian, Middle Tennessee (Player); Jordan Davis, Maryville College (Pitcher)
SOFTBALL: Trevecca’s Seitz, Belmont’s Veltri selected for TSWA weekly honors
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Trevecca University’s Kelsey Seitz and Belmont’s Alicia Veltri received Player and Pitcher of the Week accolades, respectively, from the Tennessee Sports Writers Association for their efforts in contests from April 8-14.
Seitz batted .647 (11-for-17) with two doubles, four homers, nine runs scored and nine RBIs in five games for the Trojans. The Milford, Ohio, native singled and scored a run at Lee University and homered twice, driving in five runs while scoring four times in the first game of a doubleheader versus Ohio Valley University. She hit a pair of two-run home runs and singled home a run in the contest.
The sophomore infielder followed that with two doubles, a solo homer and three runs scored in the second game of the twinbill versus the Fighting Scots. Seitz singled home a run and belted a solo home run in the first of two outings against Ohio Dominican and added an RBI single in the second contest versus the Panthers.
She is batting .329 with seven doubles, six home runs, 18 RBIs and 21 runs scored in 34 games this season.
Veltri posted three victories in three outings, all complete games, striking out 20 while allowing just three walks in conference play. The Clarksville, Tenn., native scattered 12 hits and struck out six, giving up three earned runs in a victory over Tennessee State.
The sophomore lefthander followed that with a five-hit shutout versus Jacksonville State, striking out seven in the Bruins’ first win against JSU since 2015. After a leadoff single in the second inning, she retired 12 of the last 13 batters of the five-inning contest.
Veltri picked up a win against Tennessee Tech to finish the week, allowing two earned runs on eight hits with six strikeouts. She improved to 12-7 with a 2.35 ERA and 120 strikeouts in 122.1 innings pitched this season covering 25 appearances.
2019 TSWA SOFTBALL PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
February 19 – Abby Fiessinger, Carson-Newman (Player); Brooklin Lee, Belmont (Pitcher)
March 1 – Kay Brokering, King University (Player); Morgan Rackel, Austin Peay (Pitcher)
March 6 – Danielle Liermann, Austin Peay (Player); Alyssa Arden, Tennessee Tech (Pitcher)
March 13 – MaKray Odom, Trevecca University (Player); Katlyn Smith, Maryville College (Pitcher)
March 21 – Kaitlyn Kelley, Union University (Player); Morgan Rackel, Austin Peay (Pitcher)
March 26 –Baylee Sutton, Tennessee Wesleyan (Player); Casey Gilbert, King University (Pitcher)
April 3 – Tana Whited, Trevecca University (Player); Savannah Carr, Trevecca University (Pitcher)
April 9 – Abby Fiessinger, Carson-Newman (Player); Lindsey Dunn, Bryan College (Pitcher)