NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Tennessee’s McKenna Gibson and Austin Peay’s Jordan Benefiel garnered softball Player and Pitcher of the Week accolades, respectively, by the Tennessee Sports Writers Association for their efforts in contests from April 10-16.
Gibson batted .538 (7-for-13) with four 3-run homers, 13 RBIs and seven runs scored in four games for the Lady Vols. The Santa Clarita, Calif., native recorded two hits and two runs scored with a three-run homer at Virginia Tech to start the week.
The sophomore registered a three-run homer and a sacrifice fly while scoring twice in the second of three games at Kentucky. She ended the series with a 4-for-4 effort that included two 3-run homers, six RBIs and three runs scored.
Gibson is hitting .369 with five doubles, 13 home runs, 49 RBIs and 28 runs scored in 39 games this season.
Benefiel continued her excellent work in the circle for the Govs, tossing 13.0 scoreless innings in two starts at Lipscomb.
The Pendleton, Ind., native tossed a complete-game shutout in the first of a three-game series against the Bisons, allowing five hits with five walks and five strikeouts. She worked around 11 baserunners in the contest, stranding eight and getting two doubleplays.
The junior righthander worked six more scoreless frames in the series finale, giving up five hits with no walks and five strikeouts, retiring the side in order in the second and fifth innngs.
Benefiel improved her Atlantic Sun Conference record to 9-0 in 10 starts with eight complete games, five shutouts, one combined shutout, an opponents’ batting average of .157, and an ERA of 0.53 with 75 strikeouts in 66 innings of work in league action. Overall she upped her mark to 17-6 with a 1.73 ERA in 25 appearances covering 149.1 innings, allowing just 111 hits and 38 walks with 167 strikeouts.
2022-23 TSWA SOFTBALL PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
February 21 – Macey Neal, Union University (Player)
February 28 – Chloe Kleischmidt, Tusculum University (Player); Rylee Gattis, Carson-Newman (Pitcher)
March 7 – Acelynn Sellers, Chattanooga (Player); Alyssa Lavdis, Chattanooga (Pitcher)
March 14 – Macauley Bailey, Carson-Newman (Player); Ashlan Sensing, Trevecca Nazarene (Pitcher)
March 21 – Macauley Bailey, Carson-Newman (Player); Caitlyn Manus, Tennessee State (Pitcher)
March 28 – Kendall Andrews, Trevecca Nazarene (Player); Savana Luper, King University (Pitcher)
April 4 – McKenzie Henry, Lincoln Memorial (Player); Ashlan Sensing, Trevecca Nazarene (Pitcher)
April 12 – Megan Hodum, Austin Peay (Player); Jordan Benefiel, Austin Peay (Pitcher)