FRISCO, Texas – The McNeese Cowgirls went 4-0 last week with a series sweep in conference play, resulting in Crislyne Moreno and Whitney Tate winning the Southland Conference Softball Player of the Week awards for the eighth week of the 2023 season, which were announced Monday by the conference office.

Hitter of the Week: Crislyne Moreno, McNeese - So. - 1B - Converse, Texas (Clemens HS)
Moreno led McNeese at the plate last week with a .538 batting average and an .846 slugging percent. Moreno went 7-for-13 with four RBI, one double, one home run (her second of the season), two walks, two stolen bases and two strikeouts to lead McNeese to a 4-0 record last week including a series sweep at Lamar.

Pitcher of the Week: Whitney Tate, McNeese - Sr. - RHP - Columbia, La. (Caldwell Parish HS)
Tate remained undefeated in league play at 4-0 last week (all four are shutout wins) with two more wins and one save. Both wins were shutout wins at Sam Houston and the final game of the SLC series at Lamar. Also in the win over Lamar, Tate tossed her fifth career one-hitter. Tate retired the first 11 batters she faced before allowing her only hit of the game. Her save came in the opening game of the Lamar series. For the week, Tate produced a 0.47 ERA, with two shutouts, allowing eight hits in 15 innings, with one earned run, five strikeouts and one walk.  

2023 Southland Softball Players of the Week

Date	Hitter of the Week	Pitcher of the Week
Feb. 13	Lexi Johnson, Southeastern	Cera Blanchard, Southeastern
Feb. 20	Lexi Johnson, Southeastern (2)	Maggie Darr, Northwestern State
Feb. 27	Melise Gossen, Nicholls	Whitney Tate, McNeese
Mar. 6	Makenzie Chaffin, Northwestern State	Primrose Aholelei, A&M-Corpus Christi
Mar. 13	Maria Detillier, Southeastern	Audrey McNeill, Nicholls
Mar. 20	Mariana Torres, McNeese	Katy Janes, HCU
Mar. 27	Bailey Krolczyk, Southeastern	KK Ladner, Southeastern
Apr. 3	Crislyne Moreno, McNeese	Whitney Tate, McNeese (2)

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 25 percent of ballots.