Nicholls’ Poche’, Southeastern’s Zumo named Southland Softball Players of the Week

FRISCO, Texas – Nicholls’ Alexa Poche’ and Southeastern’s Heather Zumo are the Southland Conference Softball Players of the Week, the league announced Tuesday. Southland weekly honors are presented by GEICO.

Poche’ posted a .562 batting average after hitting safely in all five games of the Black and Gold Tournament. She racked up nine total hits with two home runs, two doubles, and six RBIs for a 1.062 slugging percentage. Poche’ tied a school record with a 4-for-4 day in the first win over Alabama State, blasting a three-run homer in the process. This award marks the first of her career. The Colonels return to action Wednesday night when they welcome Southern to Swanner Field at GEO Surfaces Park at 6 p.m.

Zumo continued her dominant start to 2022 in the circle for Southeastern, racking up three more wins on the week. The Baton Rouge, La., native’s weekend was highlighted by a complete-game, one-hit shutout of Buffalo that saw her retire the final 17 batters in an 8-0 SLU win. The Lady Lion ace is 8-0 this season with a 1.12 ERA thus far this spring. This award marks the first of the season and second of Zumo’s career. Zumo and the rest of the Lady Lions travel to Memphis, Tenn., to compete in the 2022 Memphis Tournament beginning on Friday, March 10 against Central Arkansas at 4 p.m.

Softball Hitter of the Week – Alexa Poche’, Nicholls – So. – OF/DP – New Orleans, La.
Poche’ earned Player of the Week after recording nine runs on 16 at bats, and tallying five runs, six RBIs and four extra base hits. The New Orleans, La., native tied a school record with a 4-for-4 day in the first win over Alabama State, recording a three-run home run in the process. She doubled in the second win against ASU, then homered and had a run-scoring double in the finale against North Alabama. Poche’ hit safely in all five games and finished with a 1.062 slugging percentage.

Honorable Mention: Shelby Echols, HBU; Kendall McGary, UIW; Jil Poullard, McNeese; Keely DuBois, Northwestern State; Cam Goodman, Southeastern; Monee Montilla, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi

Softball Pitcher of the Week – Heather Zumo, Southeastern – Sr. – Pitcher – Baton Rouge, La.
The Lady Lions ace only gave up two runs off 10 hits over the course of 18 innings against Louisiana Tech, Marist and Buffalo. Zumo earned a 0.78 ERA, logging 16 strikeouts and holding her opponents to a .164 batting average. The senior’s weekend was highlighted by a complete-game, one-hit shutout of the Bulls that saw her retire the final 17 batters in an 8-0 SLU win. The Baton Rouge, La., native ranks first in the Southland with a 1.12 ERA.

Honorable Mention: Lyndie Swanson, HBU; Sage Hoover, Northwestern State; Denay Smith, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi
Southland weekly award winners are nominated and voted upon by each school’s sports information director. Voting for one’s own athlete is not permitted. To earn honorable mention, a student-athlete must appear on at least 25 percent of ballots.

Date — HITTER; PITCHER
Feb. 15 — Josie Willingham, McNeese; Ashley Vallejo, McNeese
Feb. 22 — Audrey Greely, Southeastern; Maggie Darr, Northwestern State
Feb. 22 — Laney Roos, Northwestern State; Ashley Vallejo, McNeese
Mar. 8 — Alexa Poche’, Nicholls ; Heather Zumo, Southeastern