Tampa Softball Sweeps SSC Player of the Week Awards

MELBOURNE, Fla.- The Sunshine State Conference announced its softball pitcher and player of the week winners and Tampa swept the awards after a 2-1 series win over No.4 Palm Beach Atlantic. Makaleigh Dooley was named Pitcher of the Week for a second time this season and it is her sixth all-time while Bailey Phillips earns her first career award as Player of the Week.

Dooley was the driving force in the Spartans delivering No.4 Palm Beach Atlantic University its first SSC series loss of the season. The junior ace finished the weekend at 2-1, clinching the series with a pair of complete game wins on Saturday. A native of Tampa, Dooley tossed 19 innings overall finishing the weekend with a 1.84 ERA and a 5.53 strikeouts per seven innings pitched. She struck out 15 batters and walked none over her 19 innings of work. Dooley also recorded 159 pitches in the two wins with 137 going for strikes. 

Phillips earns Player of the Week after playing a significant role in the Spartans handing No.4 Palm Beach Atlantic University their first SSC series loss of the season. Phillips finished the three-game series with a .571/.700/1.000 line after recording four hits in seven at-bats including three doubles. The freshman third baseman drew three walks and drove in a pair of runs. In the first game of a Saturday doubleheader, Phillips went 2-for-3 at the plate and drove in the two runs that secured the win. 

The Spartans now sit at 23-15 overall and 14-10 in SSC play and will be back in action this weekend as they host No.20 Saint Leo University for a three-game series.

Athletes of the Week are chosen from a pool of nominees for their performances during the week of April 9 - 15, 2018. Athletes are nominated by Sports Information Directors of member institutions.