PROVIDENCE, R.I. – The American Athletic Conference has announced the winners of the league’s weekly softball honors for the week ending Sunday, March 1.
Player of the Week
Kati Ray Brown * So. * C * Houston
Brown was the offensive catalyst for Houston in a 4-1 showing at the Boyd Gaming Classic hosted by UNLV, batting .583 with three home runs, nine RBI, a 2.000 OPS and five runs scored in her five starts. She kicked off the weekend reaching base in three plate appearances, smashing a solo home run while driving in four runs against UTEP (Feb. 28). The following day against the Miners (Feb. 29), Brown was one of two Houston players to notch a grand slam in an 11-0 run-rule victory in five innings. She added a 2-for-3 effort with a home run and two runs scored later in the day in a win against host UNLV (Feb. 29). Brown capped the weekend with a pair of hits and a run against New Mexico State (March 1). After 21 starts this season, Brown leads The American in home runs (9), total bases (46) and slugging percentage (.939), ranking third with 20 RBI. Her seven multi-hit games lead all Houston players, while her five multi-RBI efforts rank second in the Cougar lineup.
Pitcher of the Week
Georgina Corrick * Jr. * RHP * USF
Corrick repeated as the conference’s top pitcher after putting together a near spotless weekend at the USF Tournament, posting a 2-0 record against Rutgers and Syracuse without allowing a run. Opponents managed only eight total hits against Corrick over 14 full innings (.163 batting average against), drawing three walks and striking out a combined 22 times. She scattered six hits with one walk and a season-high 12 strikeouts as part of a 2-0 win over Rutgers (Feb. 28) to open tournament competition. The following day against Syracuse (Feb. 29), Corrick yielded only four base runners on a pair of hits and walks and struck out 10 Orange hitters in a 1-0 shutout. Only one base runner in the tournament advanced past second base against the USF junior standout (due to a throwing error). In 13 appearances in the circle thus far in 2020 (nine starts), Corrick leads all pitchers from The American with 83 strikeouts (28 strikeouts looking) in 66.2 innings pitched. She also ranks second in wins (7), fifth in batting average against (.190) and eighth in ERA (1.68).
Weekly Honor Roll
Gracie Morton * So. * OF * Memphis
Batted a team-high .583 with a home run, six RBI, a 1.571 OPS and five runs during a 4-0 Memphis showing at the Blues City Classic; scored a pair of runs in a Tiger victory against Northern Illinois (Feb. 28), drove in two runs and scored twice in a win over Northwestern State (Feb. 28) and notched three hits and three RBI against Evansville (March 1)
Alea White * Sr. * RHP * UCF
Won her only start for UCF during a 3-0 team weekend at the UCF Invitational in Orlando; tied The American career record for wins (74 - Emily Watson, Tulsa, 2015-18) after logging seven innings of one-hit softball with 12 strikeouts in 3-1 victory against Longwood (Feb. 29)
Briana Marcelino * Jr. * INF * UConn
Led UConn with a .429 average, six hits, four steals and eight runs scored in a 3-2 weekend at the Capital Classic; recorded two hits, including a home run, and added three RBI and a pair of runs against Santa Clara (Feb. 28), scored twice the following day in a win over Santa Clara (Feb. 29) and stole two bases and scored two more runs in the tournament finale at Sacramento State (March 1)
Erin Poepping * Jr. * RHP * East Carolina
Went 2-0 with a save in three appearances (two starts) in the circle for 3-2 ECU at the Liberty Spring Classic; picked up the save after striking out five over two scoreless innings against Fairfield (Feb. 28), spun five shutout innings to get the win over Yale (Feb. 28) and allowed three hits and struck out four in a complete game win over Hofstra (March 1)
Sydney McKinney * So. * UTL * Wichita State
Batted .467 with five RBI in four games against Nebraska and No. 21 Missouri at the Mizzou Tournament; ripped two hits and added an RBI and run scored against host Missouri (Feb. 29) before contributing a 3-for-5 day with a pair of RBI later in the day against Nebraska (Feb. 29)