NEW ORLEANS – App State’s Grace Barrett and Louisiana’s Sam Landry put together standout performances for their respective squads in the first week of conference action and have earned the Sun Belt Softball weekly honors.
Player of the Week
Grace Barrett, App State
[FR | SS | Milton, Ga.]
Freshman shortstop Grace Barrett played a huge role in App State's unbeaten week as she tallied 13 hits in 23 at-bats, three homers and 13 RBI. Her huge week was highlighted by a three-homer, nine-RBI weekend to open Sun Belt play that led to a series sweep of Georgia State. Barrett started by hitting a homer in the Mountaineers' blowout win over ETSU on Monday. She then followed that performance with a two-hit day against 2022 NCAA Tournament qualifier UNCG while scoring two runs. In her Sun Belt debut against Georgia State, Barrett hit a home run in each game on Saturday, driving in a total of seven runs for the day. Her first game against Sun Belt competition saw her produce a first-inning homer and a bases-clearing double, leading to a career-high five RBIs. On Sunday, she continued her hot streak with a two-RBI double to plate her eighth and ninth RBIs of the weekend. For the week, she batted .565, which was the highest on the team.
Pitcher of the Week
Sam Landry, Louisiana
[JR | P | Mont Belvieu, Texas]
Sam Landry worked 19-1/3 innings in the circle limiting foes to eight hits and yielding just three earned runs as she directed Louisiana to a 4-0 win capped off by a Sun Belt series sweep of South Alabama. Landry's week was headlined by carrying one-hit shutouts into the seventh inning of Wednesday's midweek win over McNeese and the South Alabama series opener. She started the week with 12-1/3 innings consecutive innings pitched without an earned run allowed. In the USA series opener, Landry forced the Jags into 11 ground ball outs, induced two ground ball double plays and had faced only two over the minimum in tossing a shutout prior to play being suspended on Friday evening. Landry closed the week with a key relief effort in the series finale in Mobile, taking over in the fourth and keeping the Jags scoreless including stranding a runner who had reached third base with one out in the bottom of the seventh to set up extra innings.
Players of the Week
Week 1 – Gabby Stagner, South Alabama
Week 2 – Kayt Houston, App State
Week 3 – Sara Vanderford, Texas State
Week 4 – Sam Roe, Louisiana
Week 5 – Jade Sinness, Troy
Week 6 – Grace Barrett, App State
Pitchers of the Week
Week 1 – Kirsten Fleet, James Madison
Week 2 – Alissa Humphrey, James Madison
Week 3 – Jessica Mullins, Texas State
Week 4 – Jessica Mullins, Texas State
Week 5 – Jessica Mullins, Texas State
Week 6 – Sam Landry, Louisiana