Carson-Newman’s Bailey, Trevecca’s Sensing earn TSWA weekly honor

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Carson-Newman’s Macauley Bailey and Trevecca Nazarene’s Ashlan Sensing garnered softball Player and Pitcher of the Week accolades, respectively, by the Tennessee Sports Writers Association for their efforts in contests from March 6-12.

Bailey batted .500 with one double, one triple and 10 RBIs in six games for the Eagles. The Cross Plains, Tenn., native singled and drove in a run with sacrifice flies in both ends of a doubleheader against Limestone University. The freshman catcher collected two hits and four RBIs in the first of two games versus North Greenville, including an RBI single in the first and a bases-clearing triple in the fourth.

She followed that with three more RBIs in the second game at NGU with an RBI groundout and a two-run single. Bailey collected two hits in both games of a twinbill against Catawba College, including a sacrifice fly to end the second contest that completed a six-run come-from-behind victory, the largest comeback in school history.

Bailey is hitting .410 with seven doubles, nine homers, 37 RBIs and 17 runs scored in 26 games this season.

Sensing posted a 3-1 record with a 0.54 ERA and three shutouts in four outings, including a perfect game. Opponents batted just .159 against her over 26.0 innings of work.

The Dickson, Tenn., native tossed a four-hit shutout in the team’s first game of the week versus Lewis University, striking out four without a walk in a 2-0 victory. She retired the side in order in three of the last four innings and induced an inning-ending doubleplay in the fifth after a one-out single.

The sophomore righthander suffered the loss in a 2-1 setback against Ferris State, giving up two runs on four hits with four strikeouts in six innings. She rebounded with a six-inning perfect game versus College of Staten Island, striking out nine and ended the week with a complete-game victory against Southwest Minnesota State, tossing another shutout with no walks and three strikeouts.

Sensing improved to 5-4 with a 1.49 ERA in 61.0 innings over 12 appearances, allowing 42 hits with six walks and 60 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)

Cumberland’s Turney, Middle Tennessee’s Hamm earn TSWA weekly honors

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Cumberland’s Cole Turney and Middle Tennessee’s Jaden Hamm were named the baseball Player and Pitcher of the Week, respectively, by the Tennessee Sports Writers Association for their efforts in contests from March 6-12.

Turney batted .636 (7-for-11) with six home runs, 12 RBIs and nine runs scored in four games for the Phoenix. The Richmond, Texas, native hit a two-run homer in the first inning and scored twice in a midweek contest at Bryan College.

The senior outfielder belted three home runs in the first of a three-game series against Shawnee State, including a solo shot in the third, a two-run blast in the fourth and another two-run homer in the fifth. He drilled a three-run homer, walked three times and scored three runs in the second game versus the Bears and added a two-run shot among two hits in the series finale.

Turney is batting .551 with four doubles, 13 home runs, 37 RBIs and 25 runs scored through 18 games this season. He has 19 walks and just six strikeouts in 73 plate appearances.

Hamm tossed a one-hit, complete-game shutout in the series opener against Evansville for the Blue Raiders. The Culleoka, Tenn., native walked three and struck out 11, posting the first nine-inning, one-hit complete-game shutout for the program since Bob Hardin in 1976.

Evansville’s only hit was of the infield variety to leadoff the sixth inning, but the junior righthander induced an inning-ending doubleplay to escape a 1st-and-3rd jam with one out in a 1-0 contest. The Blue Raiders also turned a doubleplay to end the third inning and Hamm faced only four batters over the minimum in the complete game.

Hamm improved to 3-1 with a 2.57 ERA in 28.0 innings over four appearances this year, allowing 23 hits with six walks and 36 strikeouts.

2022-23 TSWA BASEBALL PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
February 21 – Jack Roode, University of the South (Player); Jaden Hamm, Middle Tennessee (Pitcher)
February 28 – Jared Dickey, Tennessee (Player); Chase Burns, Tennessee (Pitcher)
March 7 – Blake Burke, Tennessee (Player); Chase Dollander, Tennessee (Pitcher)

Tennessee’s Blake, Dollander earn TSWA weekly honors

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Tennessee’s Blake Burke and Chase Dollander were named the baseball Player and Pitcher of the Week, respectively, by the Tennessee Sports Writers Association for their efforts in contests from February 27-March 5.

Burke batted .500 (11-for-22) with two doubles, three home runs, 14 RBIs and five runs scored in five games for the Vols. The Brentwood, Calif., native posted three hits with a two-run single, an RBI single and a two-run homer in the first of two games against Charleston Southern. He collected a two-run single and another two-run homer in the second contest versus the Buccaneers.

The sophomore infielder posted six hits in 14 at-bats in a weekend series versus Gonzaga, including three hits and two RBIs in the opener. He added three more hits and a three-run homer in the second game against the Zags and walked and scored in the series finale.

Burke leads the club with a .420 batting average while registering seven home runs, 21 RBIs and 13 runs scored in 13 outings this season.

Dollander tossed six shutout innings in the series opener against Gonzaga, scattering six hits. The Evans, Ga., native did not walk a batter and struck out 11, retiring the side in order just once. The junior righthander worked around two singles to start the game and induced a ground ball doubleplay after a leadoff single in the third. The contest was scoreless until the Vols plated six combined runs in the fifth and sixth innings.

Dollander posted his second straight double-digit strikeout effort and improved to 2-1 with a 2.20 ERA in three outings this year, giving up just 14 hits with two walks and 30 strikeouts in 17.1 innings.

2022-23 TSWA BASEBALL PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
February 21 – Jack Roode, University of the South (Player); Jaden Hamm, Middle Tennessee (Pitcher)
February 28 – Jared Dickey, Tennessee (Player); Chase Burns, Tennessee (Pitcher)

Chattanooga’s Sellers, Lavdis earn TSWA weekly honor

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Chattanooga’s Acelynn Sellers and Alyssa Lavdis garnered softball Player and Pitcher of the Week accolades, respectively, by the Tennessee Sports Writers Association for their efforts in contests from February 27-March 5.

Sellers batted .412 (7-for-17) with two doubles, one homer, four RBIs and three runs scored in five games for the Mocs. The Rocky Face, Ga., native posted two hits with three RBIs and two runs scored versus Harvard, including a two-run homer. She singled and walked against Sacred Heart and doubled in the second meeting with Harvard. The sophomore infielder was 3-for-4 versus Detroit Mercy with a double and a run scored.

Sellers is batting .311 with three doubles, two home runs, 11 RBIs and six runs scored in 14 contests this season.

Lavdis recorded two wins in two outings, tossing 10.0 shutout frames while giving up only five hits with 18 strikeouts. The Concord, Ohio, native worked three shutout innings for a victory against Harvard, striking out three and allowing one hit. The sophomore righthander tossed a complete-game shutout versus Detroit Mercy, giving up four hits with two walks and a career-best 15 strikeouts.

Lavdis is now 2-0 with 23 strikeouts and 16 hits allowed in 17.2 innings over five outings this year.

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)

Baseball, softball award winners announced

SOFTBALL: Tusculum’s Freischmidt, Carson-Newman’s Gattis earn TSWA weekly honor
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Tusculum University’s Chloe Freischmidt and Carson-Newman’s Rylee Gattis garnered softball Player and Pitcher of the Week accolades, respectively, by the Tennessee Sports Writers Association for their efforts in contests from February 20-26.

Freischmidt batted .583 (7-for-12) with two doubles, three homers, eight RBIs and nine runs scored in four games for the Pioneers. The Naples, Fla., native posted three hits with a double and a home run, four RBIs and three runs scored in the first of two games against Bluefield State. She added two hits with another homer, two RBIs and two runs scored in the second outing.

The senior catcher singled and scored twice in the opener versus Southern Wesleyan and doubled, homered, drove in two runs and scored twice in the second contest.

Freischmidt is batting .339 with eight doubles, three home runs, 14 RBIs and 13 runs scored in 18 contests this season.

Gattis posted a 3-1 mark with a 1.14 ERA in four starts covering 24.2 innings, giving up just four total runs with nine strikeouts. The Southside, Ala., native worked four shutout innings in a win against Mars Hill and tossed a complete game in a 2-1 victory at Columbus State, giving up one run on six hits with three strikeouts.

The freshman righthander suffered a 1-0 loss against Alabama-Huntsville, allowing one run on six hits in 6.2 innings, but rebounded in a 4-2 victory versus Ohio Dominican, giving up two runs on nine hits with four strikeouts.

Gattis improved to 5-2 in nine outings over 46.2 innings this season with 20 strikeouts.

BASEBALL: Tennessee’s Dickey, Burns earn TSWA weekly honors
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Tennessee’s Jared Dickey and Chase Burns were named the baseball Player and Pitcher of the Week, respectively, by the Tennessee Sports Writers Association for their efforts in contests from February 20-26.

Dickey batted .444 (8-for-18) with one double, two home runs, eight runs scored and six RBIs in five games for the Vols. The Mt. Juliet, Tenn., native went 3-for-3 with a double, a homer, two RBIs and three runs scored in the first of two games against Alabama A&M. He also collected three hits with three RBIs and three runs scored, including a two-run homer, in the first of three contests versus Dayton. He added a single and a run scored in each of the last two outings against the Flyers.

Dickey is batting .323 with four extra-base hits, seven RBIs and nine runs scored in eight games this season.

Burns worked 6.1 innings, allowing just two hits and one run with 12 strikeouts in a 4-1 victory versus Dayton. The Gallatin, Tenn., native walked three in his second start of the season and retired 10 of the final 12 batters he faced. Dayton’s only run came after a walk, a stolen base, a wild pitch and then another free pass in the third inning against the sophomore righthander. The runner from third came across on a double steal attempt, with the runner thrown out at second on the play.