VIDEO: Katie Pritchett Interview  

ROCK HILL, S.C. – For the first time in her career, Carson-Newman third baseman Katie Pritchett (Ringgold, Ga.) has been named the AstroTurf South Atlantic Conference Player of the Week, the league office announced Tuesday morning. 

Pritchett is the first Eagle to be recognized by the league office for a weekly honor since Kristen Toppel (Roanoke, Va.) and Allison Webster (Charlestown, Ind.) swept player and pitcher of the week accolades on April 5 of last year. 

"It's awesome to get this accolade," Pritchett said. "I couldn't have done it without my team performing so well behind me. We really hit well one through nine.  It's easy to perform when everyone else is."

Newberry hurler Devon Morrison brought home the league's pitcher of the week accolade.

The Ringgold, Ga.-native leavened her average by 77 points with a 5-for-8 week at the plate.  Pritchett did the bulk of her work against Queens in a conference-opening sweep on Saturday.  Pritchett only recorded one out against the Royals, and that was a sacrifice bunt. 

"We need her bat," head coach Vickee Kazee-Hollifield said. "That is the type of offense that she can bring to the table for us.  She, and the bottom half of the lineup have really stepped it up for us."

She went 4-for-4 at the plate with a double and two dingers.  The home runs were her first of the season.  The junior had gone more than 40 at-bats since her last bomb. 

She totaled three runs, five hits, two home runs, five RBI, and finished with a slugging percentage of 1.500 percent for the week.

Pritchett and the rest of the Eagles will be on display Wednesday at Mars Hill with a 2 p.m. doubleheader.  Coverage of the game will be available on the Eagle Sports Network at cneagles.com/live.