Jowers, Gilliam and Burns Named Softball Players of the Week

Player of the Week

April Jowers, Armstrong
Sr. • 2b • Columbus, Ga.

Jowers continued her hot hitting for the No. 8-ranked Pirates, hitting .636 for the week and extending her season-long hitting streak to 30 games, snapping the PBC single-season hitting streak of 26 previously held by Sherquita Bostick of Georgia College in 2008. Her overall hitting streak reached 36 games, breaking her own school and PBC record and also charting as the fifth-longest hitting streak in DII history. She also stole five bases on the week, scored six runs, drove in another and mado no errors in 36 chances at second. Her current .627 average leads the PBC and ranks second in NCAA Division II.

Pitcher of the Week

Kelsey Gilliam, Columbus State
Jr. • RHP • Macon, Ga.

Gilliam went 2-0 on the week with four hits and no runs allowed in 12 innings of work.  The junior pitched a one-hitter in a win over Albany State, then allowed three hits to Charleston (WV) in a 1-0 win.  Gilliam also pitched two other innings against Charleston, not allowing a baserunner.  She struck out 10 in total and did not issue a walk.  Gilliam was also good at the plate where she hit .333 and smacked a home run.

Freshman of the Week

Tiffanie Burns, North Georgia
Fr. • SS • Sylvania, Ga.

Burns stepped up this week as the Saints battled tough competition. She hit .300, but more importantly knocked in a team-high 12 RBI's. She hit three home runs, including a two-run bomb against No. 1-ranked Alabama-Huntsville. She had two RBI's in both wins over the Chargers, and had a career-high six RBI's against West Georgia. The freshman finished with a .440 on-base percentage and a .750 slugging percentage.  She is now fifth in the PBC in home runs, eighth in RBIs and 10th in slugging percentage.

For a complete list of softball weekly award winners, please click here.