Carson-Newman's Bailey and Lenoir-Rhyne's Beeler Named South Atlantic Conference Varsity Gems Softball Player and Pitcher of the Week

March 14, 2023

ROCK HILL, S.C. (TheSAC.com) – Carson-Newman's Macauley Bailey was selected as the South Atlantic Conference Varsity Gems Softball Player of the Week, while Lenoir-Rhyne's Morgan Beeler was named the South Atlantic Conference Varsity Gems Softball Pitcher of the Week for games played during week six of the 2023 season, the Conference office announced today.

Bailey, a freshman catcher from Cross Plains, Tenn., is on a career-best eight game hitting streak as she drove in the game-winning run to complete a six-run come-from-behind effort, the largest comeback in school history, and defeat Catawba 10-9 in Game 2. Bailey recorded 10 RBIs and posted a .500 batting average and a .667 slugging percentage on the week. Additionally, she has a nation-leading five sacrifice flies and 38 RBIs on the season.

Beeler, a senior pitcher from Ocean Isle Beach, N.C., started her week with a key regional win over Francis Marion on Wednesday and got the save at No. 24 Anderson on Saturday, throwing a scoreless seventh inning. In the night cap, Beeler dominated in the circle as she threw a two-hit complete game shutout to complete the sweep in a 6-0 victory. Beeler averaged one strikeout per inning this week and moves to 10-2 with a 1.74 ERA.

2023 SAC Varsity Gems Softball Players of the Week

Player of the Week
Feb. 7 – Kayson Boatner, Anderson
Feb. 14 – McKenzie Henry, Lincoln Memorial
Feb. 21 – Savanna Balderston, Catawba
Feb. 28 – Chloe Freischmidt, Tusculum
March 7 – Hannah Reeves, Wingate
March 14 – Macauley Bailey, Carson-Newman

Pitcher of the Week
Feb. 7 – Lauren Rakes, Lenoir-Rhyne
Feb. 14 – Syerra Rogers, Carson-Newman
Feb. 21 – Jenae Fedewa, Coker
Feb. 28 – Raechel Cutcher, Wingate
March 7 – Alyssa Poston, Mars Hill
March 14 – Morgan Beeler, Lenoir-Rhyne

Varsity Gems is an official corporate partner of the South Atlantic Conference and title sponsor of the Conference's Player of the Week awards program.

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