BIRMINGHAM
– The University of North Alabama
softball team was well-represented when the
Gulf South Conference released its weekly
softball awards late Tuesday. Senior
right fielder Lindsey Bates and junior right
hand pitcher Megan Niesel were awarded the
league’s Player- and Pitcher-of-the-Week
honors after leading the team to a 4-0
showing over the weekend.
UNA swept West
Georgia 1-0, 2-1 before knocking off West
Alabama 8-2, 6-4 to climb into a tie for
third place in the conference’s East
Division. The Lions are now 18-13 overall
with a 6-4 mark in GSC play.
Bates, a 5-8
Decatur native, topped off a big week for
North Alabama by going 7-for-12 at the plate
for a .583 batting average. She contributed
six RBI, including a game-winning two-run
double against West Georgia. Bates also had
five hits in a two-game sweep over in-state
rival West Alabama.
Niesel picked
up pitching victories both times she made
appearances in the circle. The 5-4 Fort
Lauderdale native pitched two complete
games, wins over UWG and UWA. In her 14
innings of action, she struck out 14 hitters
and allowed only two earned runs. In a 1-0
win over the Wolves, she also scattered four
hits for the victory.
