Cayla Jones, Taylor Bachmeyer Named Southland Softball Players of the Week
FRISCO, Texas – Northwestern State’s Cayla Jones and Sam Houston’s Taylor Bachmeyer are the Southland Conference Softball Hitter and Pitcher of the Week, respectively, the league announced Sunday. Southland weekly honors are presented by
Hercules Tires.
Jones powered the Lady Demons’ offense over the weekend, accounting for 10 RBI, two doubles, one triple and a grand slam to take the series against Southeastern Louisiana over the weekend. She racked up a .667 average at the plate, a 1.444 slugging percentage and a .667 on-base percentage to push Northwestern State to the No. 4 seed at the 2021 Southland Softball Tournament. The Lady Demons will begin their postseason slate Tuesday, May 11, in Hammond, La., and will take on the winner between Southeastern Louisiana and Abilene Christian at 6:30 p.m.
Bachmeyer dealt a complete game no-hitter against UIW, the first of her collegiate career, leading the ‘Kats to a 4-0 win in the final weekend of Southland Conference play. The freshman put in seven innings of work to strike out four batters and secure the No. 7 seed for Sam Houston at the upcoming Southland Tournament. The Bearkats will take on Houston Baptist in a single elimination opening round game. First pitch against the Huskies is slated for 11 a.m. Tuesday morning.
Softball Hitter of the Week – Cayla Jones, Northwestern State – 2B – Jr. – Missouri City, Texas
Jones provided a majority of the offense for Northwestern State, pushing her squad to the No. 4 seed at the conference tournament with a pair of victories over Southeastern Louisiana. The junior registered 10 RBI and four extra-base hits throughout the final weekend of conference play. One of her six hits of the weekend was a go-ahead grand slam in the bottom of the sixth inning of game one, handing NSU a 9-4 victory over the Lady Lions.
Honorable Mention: Kristen Whitehouse, Central Arkansas; Kaylee Lopez, McNeese; Ashlyn Reavis, Nicholls; Emily Telg, Sam Houston.
Softball Pitcher of the Week – Taylor Bachmeyer, Sam Houston – RHP – Fr. – Pflugerville, Texas
Bachmeyer concluded the regular season on a high note for the Bearkats, delivering a complete game no-hitter for a 4-0 win at home over UIW this weekend. In her lone appearance of the weekend, she fanned four batters in her seventh start of the season.
Honorable Mention: Jordan Johnson, Central Arkansas; Whitney Tate, McNeese; Alexis LaBure, Nicholls; Kassidy Wilbur, Stephen F. Austin.
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.
2021 Southland Softball Players of the Week
Feb. 16 – Hitter: Ashlyn Reavis, Nicholls; Pitcher: Heather Zumo, Southeastern Louisiana
Feb. 23 – Hitter: Tylar Vernon, Central Arkansas; Pitcher: Kayla Beaver, Central Arkansas
March 2 – Hitter: Lindsey Rizzo, Southeastern Louisiana; Pitcher: Heather Rizzo, Southeastern Louisiana
March 9 – Hitter: Mary Kate Brown, Central Arkansas; Pitcher: Jordan Johnson, Central Arkansas
March 16 – Hitter: Shaylon Govan, Stephen F. Austin; Pitcher: Kassidy Wilbur, Stephen F. Austin
March 22 – Hitter: Jaylee Engelkes, Central Arkansas; Pitcher: E.C. Delafield, Northwestern State
March 29 – Hitter: Hayley Barbazon, Northwestern State; Pitcher: Ashley Trapp, UIW
April 5 – Hitter: Gaby Garcia, Stephen F. Austin; Pitcher: Kayla Beaver, Central Arkansas
April 12 – Hitter: Autumn Sydlik, Houston Baptist; Pitcher: Kassidy Wilbur, Stephen F. Austin
April 19 – Hitter: Jil Poullard, McNeese; Pitcher: Kassidy Wilbur, Stephen F. Austin
April 26 – Hitter: Caitlin Brockway, Houston Baptist; Pitcher: Kassidy Wilbur, Stephen F. Austin
May 3 – Hitter: Kaylee Lopez, McNeese; Pitcher: Kayla Beaver, Central Arkansas
May 9 – Hitter: Cayla Jones, Northwestern State; Pitcher: Taylor Bachmeyer, Sam Houston