Tide Soph National Player Of Week

Alabama sophomore 1B/P Charlotte Morgan added to her list of accolades on Tuesday as she was named both the Louisville Slugger/NFCA and the ASA/USA Softball Collegiate National Player of the Week after an impressive showing against then-No. 10 LSU and Samford.

Morgan helped the Tide (35-3, 15-2 SEC) post their first sweep of LSU in Tuscaloosa by earning wins in the circle in the final two games. She also clinched the series opener at the plate with a three-run 10th-inning walk-off home run that erased a two-run deficit and gave Alabama a dramatic 9-8 win.

“Charlotte did a little bit of everything for us this weekend, and we are excited to see her rewarded for her efforts,” Alabama head coach Patrick Murphy told USA Softball. “Every time we needed a big hit she came through, and in the circle she was in complete command of a very dangerous LSU lineup over the final two games.”

Morgan (9-0) allowed just one run in the circle (0.58 ERA) in two complete-game wins – one shutout - that spanned a total of 12 innings. She fanned eight and held opponents to a .140 batting average.

At the plate the native of Moreno Valley, Calif., posted a .500 batting average vs. the Tigers with two home runs, three doubles, three runs scored and six RBI. She posted a 1.400 slugging percentage and a .583 on-base mark. Morgan also went 2 for 3 in a mid-week contest at Samford for a .538 average for the week.

“It is really an honor,” Morgan told USA Softball. “Every time our team takes the field, our goal is to find a way to win, and I will do whatever it takes to help us accomplish that goal. I love being able to contribute both at the plate and in the circle – just anything that will help us win.

She now has a team-best 48 RBI, 14 doubles and 10 home runs on the season with a .417 overall batting average and a .420 mark in SEC play.

Alabama begins a seven-game road trip on Thursday, April 10, at Troy. From Troy, the Crimson Tide ventures to Auburn for a three-game SEC series that gets underway on Saturday, April 12, at 1 p.m. from Jane B. Moore Field. Alabama then makes their third trip to Birmingham this season for a game with the USA Olympic softball team at Liberty Park on Tuesday, April 15, at 6:30 p.m. and wraps up the road trip at Arkansas for a doubleheader on April 17.