SPARTANBURG, S.C. - Senior pitcher Brooke Loudermilk (Locust Grove, Tenn.) and junior third baseman Tiffany Baker (East Ridge, Tenn.) were named Southern Conference Players of the Week announced by the league office Monday. Baker blasted four home runs, while Loudermilk struck out 29 in 18 innings pitched to help the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga softball team go undefeated at the Austin Peay Classic.
After recording three victories this week, Loudermilk was named the pitcher of the week for not allowing an earned run in her three starts and compiling two double-digit strikeout performances. The Locust Grove, Ga., native was in a rhythm against Northern Iowa on Feb. 21 striking out the first nine batters she faced and totaled a season-high 13 for the game.
On the year, the 2010 Preseason All-Socon First Team representative has compiled a 4-1 record with one save and the only loss was to No. 10 Oklahoma, 1-0. The seven-time pitcher of the week leads the conference in strikeouts with 49, innings pitched with 31.2 and has recorded a 0.44 ERA.
The most impressive player for the Lady Mocs this weekend was Baker, who was in a groove this week hitting four home runs, driving in seven runs and scoring eight times. Four walks brought her on-base percentage to .647, while posting a 1.462 slugging percentage over the five games.
Starting the weekend at Tennessee State, the East Ridge, Tenn., native went 2-for-3 with a home run, two RBI and two runs. She passed a career high with two home runs against Butler including what proved to be the game winning three-run homer in a 7-6 win. On the day, she went 4-for-6 driving in six runs, scoring four runs and hitting three pitches over the fence.
When the tournament moved to Clarksville, Tenn., Baker continued her dominance with a 3-for-3 day against Austin Peay scoring three runs and driving in two on a home run. The home run was the 23rd of her career putting her in a tie for fourth with Tara Temby (2005-08) on the UTC list. Senior teammate Laci Upchurch (Madison, Tenn.) is tied for first with Melissa Ramirez, who has 25.
On the year, the 2010 Preseason All-SoCon First Team player has compiled a .458 batting average with five home runs and 10 RBI. The five round trippers bring Baker's slugging percentage to 1.083.
This is the seventh time that Loudermilk has been recognized and it is just the first for Baker, while Chattanooga has swept the weekly softball awards for the 21st time dating back to when SoCon softball started in 1994.
Chattanooga hosts the 16-team Frost Classic starting Friday at 3 p.m. against Rutgers followed by Kansas. Head coach Frank Reed currently has 799 career victories and will be looking for his 800th win during the tournament. The Lady Mocs will face Kentucky and Georgetown on Saturday, while a matchup with Miami (Ohio) is scheduled for Sunday. Live stats will be available for all games on GoMocs.com.
Fans that want to catch all the Lady Mocs softball action at Frost Stadium can purchase a season pass for $55 that can be accessed from the link above. The pass is a 30% savings off individual ticket prices, provides access to the entire Frost Classic and shows your support for the softball program.
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