Lenoir-Rhyne’s Rivers, Wingate’s Blankenship Named Softball Players Of The Week

March 2, 2010

ROCK HILL, S.C. -- Lenoir-Rhyne University's Kat Rivers has been named the South Atlantic Conference Softball Player of the Week and Wingate's Brittany Blankenship earned league Pitcher of the Week honors for the week ending March 1, announced conference officials Tuesday.

Rivers, a junior shortstop from Royston, Ga. (Franklin County HS), batted .593 (16-of-27) with 12 runs scored, four home runs and eight runs batted in to lead Lenoir-Rhyne to a 6-2 week. Rivers started the week with two home runs in a 14-1 win over Pfeiffer at home Monday before hitting two home runs in the same inning in a 13-3 three victory over Shippensburg in the Catawba College Invitational Sunday in Salisbury, N.C. Rivers, a native of Royston, Ga., had five multi-hit games for the week and currently leads the team in batting (.488) this year. L-R is 10-2 to start the season.

Blankenship, a junior right-hander from Midlothian, Va. (Midlothian HS), went 3-0 on the week with a 0.61 ERA. She wins the Pitcher of the Week award for the second week in a row. She struck out 23 in 23 innings while walking only three, helping the Bulldogs to a 6-0 week, while improving their record to 17-1. She started the week with a complete game shutout over Mount Olive, allowing three hits while striking out four. She went eight innings in the win over North Greenville without allowing an earned run and striking out nine. She finished her week by striking out 10 in an eight-inning win over Limestone. Blankenship is 8-1 on the season with a 0.70 ERA and 63 strikeouts against only seven walks.