NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Austin Peay’s Megan Hodum and 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 3-9.
Hodum batted .700 (7-for-10) with three doubles, three runs scored and three RBIs in a three-game series against Bellarmine. The Stantonville, Tenn., native collected a pair of doubles and scored twice in the first game versus the Knights and was 3-for-3 with a double and two RBIs, posting a two-run double in the fifth inning in a 2-0 victory.
She finished the series with two more hits, one run and one RBI, an RBI single in the second inning. For the season Hodum is hitting .259 with eight doubles, 11 RBIs and 18 runs scored in 32 contests.
Benefiel tossed a pair of complete-game shutouts for the Govs against Bellarmine, allowing just four hits with one walk and 13 strikeouts. The Pendleton, Ind., native gave up three hits and one walk while striking out six in the first outing of the three-game series, a 2-0 win, retiring the side in order in the second, third and seventh innings. She worked around a single and a hit batter in the fifth as well, stranding a pair of runners.
The junior righthander tossed a one-hit shutout with seven strikeouts in the final game against the Knights, setting down the side in order in five of the seven frames. She hit a batter in the third and gave up a single in the sixth, improving to 7-0 with a 0.66 ERA in ASUN play. For the season Benefiel upped her record to 15-6 with a 1.90 ERA in 136.1 innings, allowing 101 hits with 157 strikeouts and a .200 opponent batting average.
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)