BASEBALL: Vanderbilt’s Bleday, Hickman honored with TSWA weekly accolades
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Vanderbilt’s JJ Bleday and Mason Hickman were named the Player and Pitcher of the Week, respectively, by the Tennessee Sports Writers Association for their efforts in contests from March 25-31.
Bleday batted .375 (6-for-16) with four home runs, 10 RBIs and six runs scored in four games for the Commodores. The Panama City Beach, Fla., native belted a three-run homer in the first inning and a two-run shot in the seventh for a career-best five RBIs in a midweek victory over Lipscomb.
The senior outfielder homered, walked twice, drove in two runs and scored two runs in the series opener against Tennessee and added two more hits with a two-run homer and two runs scored in the second game versus the Vols. He finished the week with an RBI single in the series finale against UT.
Bleday is batting .353 with six doubles, 12 home runs, 36 RBIs and 34 runs scored in 29 games this season.
Hickman tossed six shutout innings in the victory against Lipscomb, allowing just one hit with one walk and eight strikeouts. The sophomore righthander worked five no-hit frames before giving up a single in the sixth, running his scoreless streak to 23.0 innings over his last six outings, striking out 33 during that stretch.
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)
SOFTBALL: Trevecca’s Whited, Carr selected for TSWA weekly honors
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Trevecca University’s Tana Whited and Savannah Carr received Player and Pitcher of the Week accolades, respectively, from the Tennessee Sports Writers Association for their efforts in contests from March 25-31.
Whited posted seven hits in 13 at-bats (.538) with a double, seven RBIs and two runs scored in four games for the Trojans. The Lebanon, Tenn., native drove in a run in the first contest and collected two hits with a run scored in the second game versus Christian Brothers.
The junior outfielder was 3-for-4 with two RBIs and a run scored in the first outing against Tiffin University. She added two hits with a double and four RBIs in the second game versus the Dragons.
Whited is batting .343 with seven doubles, six home runs, 35 RBIs and 14 runs scored in 31 contests this season.
Carr recorded two victories in the circle for the Trojans, allowing one earned runs with four strikeouts in 10.1 innings. The Springfield, Tenn., native tossed 5.1 innings in a victory against Christian Brothers, giving up one earned run on four hits with one strikeout.
The senior righthander followed that with a five-hit shutout versus Tiffin, allowing two hits with three strikeouts. She improved to 9-4 with a 2.77 ERA in 16 appearances over 73.1 innings this season, striking out 55.
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)